Between Two Oceans
Living with life's mysteries...
The inspiration for this edition of the newsletter is actually the last item in it—the quote of the week. Writer Brian Doyle (a favorite, whose work I’ve shared here several times) pictures humanity living between two vast, mysterious oceans (sea and sky). We are the “filling” in this sandwich, but we know so little about the “bread,” right? And frankly, not that much about the filling either. Let’s dive in to a few of life’s amazing mysteries…
VIDEO “NO EMPTY SKY”: WILD, WONDERFUL WEBB (TELESCOPE)
This “60 Minutes” segment is two years old now, and there have been many Webb-based discoveries since…but I still think this is one of the best “guided tours” of the MULTITUDE of galaxies, back to the birth of the universe, so far…enjoy—and learn!
VIDEO: DEEPSEA ODDITIES
This film reveals a fascinating range of incredible “new” sea creatures observed by the cameras of NOAA far, far below the Pacific Ocean’s surface off the coast of Hawaii. Set to cool music, this video is a bit long, but well worth a look (and worth thinking about the next time you wade into the water yourself!)
And now, a voyage within, to explore some mysteries of the human mind…
ARTICLE: WHY DON’T WE REMEMBER BEING BABIES?
Ever wondered why we just don’t recall being infants? Turns out, there’s a reason—
SHORT FILM: LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT
Beautiful. Love that survives when other memories are gone…how can that be? Gorgeously performed, too, by Sir John Hurt and Phyllida Law (in real life, she’s Emma Thompson’s mum).
THE MYSTERIOUS FUTURE OF INTELLIGENCE, OR “ChatGPT—What the heck are we DOING???”
As a writer, myself, I regularly encounter writing that has been “enhanced” (or even made up completely) by ChatGPT. I can often tell by the inferior quality of this so-called literature, but it seems many folks (professional writers included) are using it as a shortcut to creativity. I’m trying to keep an open mind, but frankly I fear that A.I., unchecked, is opening a Pandora’s Box we humans won’t be able to contain or control.
LETTERS LIVE: NICK CAVE’S LETTER ABOUT A.I. AND HUMANITY
This episode of Letters Live (a series I heartily recommend, btw) wrestles with the direct challenge artificial intelligence poses to the genuine feelings that give life meaning…
THE MYSTERIOUS MAGIC OF CHORAL SINGING: “AND SO IT GOES” BY BILLY JOEL
PERFORMED BY PIGEKORET (THE DANISH NATIONAL GIRLS CHOIR)
I LOVE choirs (and no, not just because Sheridan and Ya-Jhu conduct several). There is a mysterious and wonderful alchemy when multiple voices join together, to become greater than the sum of their parts. Here, the sublime Danish National Girls Choir sings Billy Joel’s “And So it Goes.” I’ve loved Billy singing his song forever, but I do believe this version rivals it.
BLOG PREVIEW: PEBBLING
Lesson from our dapper friend the Penguin: diamonds may be forever, but other “stones” are just as eloquent!! This week’s Working Title spills the…pebbles!
INSPIRATIONAL QUOTE OF THE WEEK
We may never get to the bottom of things in this lifetime, my friends, but let’s enjoy our explorations anyway. Have a wonder-filled week!