blog from space

September 30, 2006

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Anousheh Ansari Space Blog Anousheh Ansari boasts many firsts: She's the first female space tourist, the first astronaut of Iranian descent—and, now, the first civilian to blog from beyond Earth's orbit. Her account of training for, blasting toward, and taking up temporary residence on the International Space Station is filled with rousing moments and some marvelous video (space flight will do that for a blog). However, we loved it as much for its intimacy. From Anousheh's posts, we learned that space smells like a "burned almond cookie." We read of what it's like to stare at our planet from so far away, how easy it is for ISS crew members to bruise their feet, and how they brush their teethposting to her site to say: Welcome home, space traveler!

synchronicity

so yes - synchronicity happens to me all the time - or should I say I am a witness to synchronicity?

I read all those links and kept looking for some real explanation or clearer understanding of what this can be attributed to, and could not find one. It seemed like the same thing was said repeatedly and yet nothing at all.

My personal experiences today seem to be just on purpose so I could blog about them.

I sat down to do my homework for physics - and distracted as always - thought - oh just let me type in chinese herbs employment in google just to see what happens. What I found was what I think could be the perfect job (my fingers are crossed). I have been trying to explain to my career counselors (that were assigned to me as a recently laid off graphic designer) and they say politely - "hhmm" sales and marketing - ok" - but they do not see what I am seeing. http://www.mayway.com/general/herbal_employ.htm Now I can send this description and say - "like this" and they will know what I mean. There is one guy who specializes in writing resumes - one lady who helps with interviews, one guy who does testing (meyers briggs)

THEN _ as if that was not enough - this link lead to me Acupuncture without Borders - something I thought I would not have the opportunity to get involved with until many ....many.......years down the road. And they ("of course" I say because synchronicity being what it is) - are looking for a graphic designer. Graphic Design We are looking for individuals with graphic design experience to create print materials for AWB on an ongoing or as needed basis. If you are interested in volunteering now or in the future please email AWB at Info@AcuWithoutBorders.org. We look forward to hearing from you!

OK _ so THEN - I though -ok I'm stressing out - I should call AIMC clinic and make an appointment - and so I do. I get an appointment after being told the many choices - and who do I get - 2:15 - with Kina - why do I know that name? OH - she's the woman who had the Psychology class last semester who might sell me her book - and I've been trying to get in touch with......ok - now I really ahve to sit down and put all this in the blog - it's just too ridiculous!

synchronicity

the power of looking

Toddlers and young children are traditionally regarded as perfect so especially likely to attract the evil eye. Often mothers will apply kohl around their children's eyes to make their beauty imperfect and thus reduce their susceptibility to the evil eye. In Bangladesh young children often have large black dots drawn onto their foreheads in order to counter the evil eye.

right side vs left side protection

According to this custom, the left hand is considered to be the receiving side for the body and soul, and by wearing the red string on the left wrist, believers receive a vital connection to the protective energies surrounding the tomb of Rachel, carrying her protective energy with them and drawing from it any time there is need.

A red thread is also said to protect babies against the evil eye, and according to folkloric custom it is placed on the pillow upon which a newborn baby is presented for the first time at a viewing by family and friends. In the late 20th century it became the custom to wind a red string around the tomb of the great Matriarch, Rachel, located in the land of Israel, then to cut the string into pieces and give them out to be worn on the left wrist as an effective protection against the evil eye.

the evil eye

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evil_eye#Protective_talismans_and_cures

plum pudding incident?!

Probability theory can attempt to explain events such as the plum pudding incident in our normal world, without any interference by any universal alignment forces.

Alternative Explanations

The feeling of making a connection where there is none has been described as apophenia.

Aspects of the subjective experience of schizophrenia have much in common with the subjective experience of synchronicity, in the sense that ordinary events are seen as having a direct personal relevance to the schizophrenic, but are seen as 'normal' by non-schizophrenics. Many psychoses are similar to schizophrenia but can last for a very short time, such as in rare instances from nicotine withdrawal (as an example) causing the same effect even with a non-schizophrenic.Those who have experienced a near-death experience or kundalini awakening report an increase in synchronistic events happening to them.

pay attention!

"Synchronicities can also go nowhere as they just occur in someone's life to make a point. "

from
http://www.crystalinks.com/synchronicity.html

santeria and the last black supper

http://www.blacklastsupper.com
different perspectives

synchronicity

I'm a believer:

There are no accidents - just synchroncity wheels - the gears of time - the wheels of time - the wheel of karma - wheels within wheels - the alchemy of creation - the Philosopher's Stone - Sacred Geometry=SG=StarGate - evolution of consciousness.

ok that's just "crazy talk" that gypsy tarotcard tea leaves reading kinda stuff - right [!?]

comments on causality

I saw somewhere in my notes a sketch of disease - and it showed the tip of the iceberg on the surface - and the other 90% below the surface.

reflections on uncertainty

I value uncertainty above all - which would definately be considered "weird" by many people.

Don't get me wrong, I was not born and raised to do so, it has just happened to me over time.

http://www.amazon.com/Luck-Is-No-Accident-Happenstance/dp/1886230536
great book! so I heard - just ordered it

first things first

Is the Universe weird?

yes - but the more I read - - the people and their perceptions and perspectives (in the past) even moreso.

There are two definitions of weird - which I was not aware of - so I better look that up!

ok I don't feel so bad now

---

Unfortunately, most people believe you need the mind of Einstein in order to understand QM so they give up on it entirely. (Interesting side note: Einstein didn't believe QM was a correct theory!) Even some chemists fall into that category-- to represent physical chemistry our departmental T-shirts have a picture of the below atom, which is almost a century out of date. <Sigh>

** So please read on, and take a dip in an ocean of information that I find completely invigorating!

from http://www.hi.is/~hj/QuantumMechanics/quantum.html

wait a minute - isn't this what we were coveing in chemistry on Monday night?!

spectra

Quantum mechanics was initially developed to explain the atom, especially the spectra of light emitted by different atomic species. The quantum theory of the atom developed as an explanation for the electron's staying in its orbital, which could not be explained by Newton's laws of motion and by classical electromagnetism.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quantum_mechanics
my ears perk up when ther's something about color - otherwise - so many words to click on and distracting for me - so I'm skipping back up a link

simulations

those programs on that link are nice - but completely over my head
like a foreign language - next link please

0oh yeah

And remind me to ask tonight about tv remotes. I remember hearing once that if you jingle keys together - you can change the channel on your tv - what's that all about!?

this is perfect

"By exploring the properties of light emitting diodes, tunneling diodes, solar cells and even glow-in-the-dark toothbrushes students learn about effects which cannot be explained with classical physics." from http://phys.educ.ksu.edu/info/summaryOfVqm.html

Exactly what I want to learn/demystify:

I have a few trinket's I've been carrying around that I've been waiting for the perfect moment to bring out in class and [demand/request/finally] an easy to understand explanation:

• my laser pointer pen
• my card swiper very tiny that lets me into my garage
• my magnetic arthritis bracelet
• a strange pink magnetic exercise round

Can't wait for class tonight!

chinese explorers discover america

There is a great book that talks about this and other things: but here is a nice link: http://www.saltinstitute.org/38.html

black death is averted

I will be thankful when the usa as a country can come clean and admit to introducing the smallpox blankets [and God knows what else over time] 95% of natives were killed by that?

dwarf planets

I had the strangest visual images after this discussion - of dwarfs/gnomes all flying around and bumping into each other out in space [the are not round - how can they spin without being awkward?] I find that term to be really strange.

pluto gets a demotion

That is just plain unfair! Now all the textbooks need to be republished!

M time vs P time

so - is that like flow - interrupting flow? appreciation of P time growing in the western world?
I need toknow more about this before commenting.

check out this movie: http://www.cinemaguild.com/fearandtrembling/trailer.htm

positive results shown in meditation survey

I love this article. Now we have medical proof!

time flies like an arrow

fruit flies like a banana!
Comments on the meaning of time:

• "by the time the universe was one second old, things had generally "settled down" or have they?
• this whole big bang talk - sounds so mythical and story like - as if someone is telling a child a dramatised bedtime story.
• past, present, future - how are they measured?
• what's a thermodynamic arrow>? what's entropy? what's an electrodynamic arrow>? psychological arrow>?
• cosmological arrows>? makes no sense - no white holes? where is the balance>? how can I trust this information [these so called truths} when it/they seems so incomplete>?
  
• conundrum - the ketchup conundrum http://www.gladwell.com/2004/2004_09_06_a_ketchup.html
• this above link may be more towards the chemistry or biology class - interesting nevertheless
  

first quiz

What attracts me to Chinese Medicine?

• opportunity to learn and explore concepts and theories that are mysterious to me
  
• interested in self healing - lifestyle changes - and then with that knowledge - helping others
• healing thru these methods vs traditional western medicine based on past experience not so good
• interested in a more integrated whole approach to people's needs and expectations
  

What do I honestly think of Physics, really?

• absolutely clueless as to what that even means
• what does time even have to do with physics?
• boy am I gonna be really smart after this class

Now that I think about it, have I ever experienced time "slowing down"?

• yes - one time my mother was visiting and I was living if San Francisco at the time, must have been mid 80's, and we were sitting at a dining room table [mid'day] chatting and enjoying the beautiful day, making plans for the afternoon. The table started slowly shaking - but not really shaking - more like moving under our hands. The floor must have been doing the same - the entire building - but that was not as obvious as the table moving. The shaking continued for what seemed like a very long time - and we just looked at each other - because it was such and unfamiliar feeling/experience/sensation. Time seemed strangely unsure. "How long was that?" We were not sure how long it lasted and what exactly was happening - but it was an "earthquake"
  

the meaning of time

Does anybody really know what time it is?