An Unbounded Universe

Some thoughts on sciences big question: Is the universe finite or infinite?

If the universe does have a stopping point, how can there be nothing beyond that?  There has to be something more out there.  I know that we’re supposed to leave our common sense behind when addressing these topics, but my instinct can’t let there be nothing past the end point.  However, some people think there may be no stopping point.  This only complicates things further because how can something go on forever? Where is it going? The initial question behind all of this is: what is infinity? What does that even mean?
 I don’t even know how to go about beginning to solve a mystery such as infinity of space.  It seems that math can’t answer this particular mystery; there is not one answer.  In order to unravel the universe I think that we have to just look.  It sounds simple and naïve and I know we can’t see infinity but how can we calculate something that doesn’t “exist” or “exists” more than anything else on this earth?

Its mind-boggling and the more I think about it the more confused I get.  This is when I have to resort back to my belief that everything and nothing are really the same.  That makes it possible for nothing to be at the end, because it’s everything and there is no end.  Both speculations can be true. The universe is bounded and unbounded.

My Idea of God

When I was three years old I asked my parents, “What is God?” They didn’t have an answer for me, at least not a short and simple answer. But I answered the question instead with my own belief. I said, “I think God is everything…and nothing, because they’re really the same.” To this day I still stand to this statement, because it so beautifully and simply describes my faith.

No Need to Worry

Worry: to torment oneself with or suffer from disturbing thoughts; fret. (http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/worry)

Everybody worries too much...at least I know I worry a lot and I know that I often worry about unnecessary things.  I was talking to my dad about this and he gave me some great advice he heard from our preacher.  You just have to keep in mind two things.

1. 99% of things we worry about, don't actually happen.
2. The other 1% usually never turns out as bad as we thought it would.

 Just living my this simple idea could make life much easier.  While I may not stop worrying altogether, this idea with help dampen my irrational fears.  Try it.

Melancholy

It's that time of year...I'm getting ready to go back to school.  I am looking forward to classes, however as I pack everything and prepare to move out of my house again I can't help but dwell on my childhood.  I got my old family videos out today...the ones from when I was really little, 3 and 4.  It's almost as if I never want those times to be over.  I don't understand how people move on so easily.

At high school graduation I was very ready to move forward into a new chapter of my life.  But as I began to actually prepare for my first departure to college I felt a lot of mixed feelings.  I wanted to keeping growing, but I didn't want to let go of my childhood.  Everything was perfect the way it was and I didn't want to change that.  For graduation I received 20 letters from my mom, written every Christmas, when I was born, and at graduation.  I opened the first a week before I left in August and couldn't get through it without crying.  I have yet to read the rest.

I thought that these feelings of melancholy would slowly evaporate during the year and that I could accept the fact that life was moving on.  But...they haven't.  I don't actually think that I will ever overcome "home sickness" despite the fact that I go to school 10 minutes from my family.  Home is a safe place and even on long vacation I find myself looking forward to the return home.  In these transition years, however, it's especially difficult, you haven't established your own home and future family, yet you no longer truly live at your childhood home.

All of these feelings are rushing back as I now prepare for another year away from home.  I do remind myself that they are feelings that come from being loved and being raised by a good family.  While it is an emotional time I know these emotions come from a good place.  It is hard to let go of the past, but I know the future holds just as many wonderful memories waiting to be discovered.

Becoming a Reader

I couldn't fall asleep the other night because I was stressing myself out over the fact that I really haven't read many of the "classic novels".  I have never considered myself a reader.  In elementary school I skimmed every book assigned.  I rarely found books that I enjoyed.  I would come across a series every now and then that I couldn't get my nose out of, but that was never a common occurrence.

Now I can't stop beating myself up over the fact that my booklist is seriously lacking.  At this point the only real classics I've read are The Great Gatsby, which I loved (which proves the fact that I can enjoy books), Wuthering Heights, which was dull but interesting, and...nothing else comes to mind.  I mean I've read a good deal of interesting novels and even economic books (Friedman, Hayek, Galbraith), but I have yet to experience the classics. 

So...I'm going to start reading as many as I can.  I've begun with Jane Eyre, which is keeping my attention thus far.  I'm a little worried, however, for A Tale of Two Cities, which is next, and The Scarlet Letter (which I stopped after reading the first quarter). I will push through these because I need to in order to become a truly well educated person.  I'm sure, though, that along the way I will encounter novels that are a great struggle to complete but also those that I can't put down.  I'm looking forward to this new adventure and I hope that it opens up a new world of interest for me.

Here is the beginning of my list:

• A Tale of Two Cities
• The Scarlet Letter
• Of Mice and Men
• Grapes of Wrath
• Pride and Prejudice
• The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

The Cowboy Theory

I was waiting for a train to pass last winter and the snow on the train tracks was flying up under the wheels.  I usually wouldn't think anything of it, but it looked like a shot from the beginning of a film. 

 

Everyone dreams about their lives being like those in the movies. And although it's cliche, I think that we often don't realize how "cool" our lives truly are...we take what we have for granted.  Several years ago I began living by the theory that my dad created...The Cowboy Theory.

The Story: When my dad was little he used to want to be a cowboy. He dressed like one, played wild games, read all the stories of the west...But then he realized that an actual cowboy may not feel the same way about his own life. He wouldn't necessarily see the "romanticism" of it.  To a cowboy...his life was ordinary.

Our lives may seem plain and simple, but with a keener eye we can see the glory of them. If we begin to look at our lives as something that someone else may dream of, they become much more interesting.  Our lives become like the movies.  Pioneers or people of the future would find our lives fascinating. It's weird, but true. 

When I started practicing this theory I was surprised at how awesome things were that I used to find so boring and normal.  Tiny things excite me now and make me think, "Life is so cool." I find myself these days, "high on life," thrilled by the smallest things imaginable. It keeps me in perspective that what I have is just as good as what those cowboy had.  I just have to remind myself often..."cowboy theory, cowboy theory." 

September

Just a quick blurb...today felt like the first real day of fall (though it is only September 3)! I love September, not just because it's the month I was born, but because it marks the beginning of what I believe to be the best season. Today it actually smelled like fall.  The leaves have started to turn, the air is getting crisper, and, to everyone's relief, the temperature has dropped to 80 and the humidity is subsiding.  There's nothing better than a great day like this to put you in a good mood!

(This feeling is so perfectly captured by Earth, Wind, and Fire...check out the link below)
Video of September by Earth, Wind, and Fire

A World of Possibilities

Brief History: I am not a theatre person. Why? I am an introvert. But...I love theatre! I participated in theatre all through high school obsessively.  Theatre (and music) were my life.  I sang, danced, acted, played piano...the whole nine yards.  When it came time to pick a major I, of course, chose theatre. Now one year later I'm realizing...I don't like "studying" theatre. 

As I've watched my sister begin the college search I have experienced slight pangs of jealousy that her future is undecided...she doesn't know what she wants to do. How great?! To me, it feels as if I went down that path I was supposed to go down and that's not okay anymore. It's time to explore the thousands of possibilities the world has to offer.

I chose theatre because I loved it.  I never once said, "I don't know what I would do if I wasn't doing theatre." This statement, that I have heard far too many times, finally pushed me over the edge. I may not know exactly what I would do...but the unsureness of that thought is exciting.  To have endless amounts of opportunity and possibility at your fingertips and know that you could choose any one of them is what college is all about. 

I am now officially majoring in "undecided" and I couldn't be happier.  I can do anything I want; take any class that interests me.  I am considering a major in International Studies, because it has the broadest requirements, in a variety of interesting subjects...it can offers me what I want most...a true liberal arts education.