Short Story

I pretty much love horror stories, not the gory, gruesome kind, but the creepy sort that make you tingle in side. With that said, I plan to write a short story, which takes place in the country hills of Iowa during the 19th century, perhaps. It will be about a girl and how she goes about putting the spirits in her home at rest. But will she succeed? Well, I don't know. However, at the end of the story there will be a surprising twist.

Terms Terms Terms

What exactly is stem cell research? I couldn't very well answer this question without using numerous scientific terms, which in turn require their own definitions to be completely understood. Therefore, I will define the two most important terms in stem cell research - embryonic stem cells and adult stem cells. Embryonic stem cells are the 50-150 cells of the human embryo about 5 days after fertilization - commonly called a blastocysts. Embryonic stem cells are able to differentiate into every type of cell needed, which makes them ideal for research. However the use of embryonic stem cells requires the destruction of the embryo. Adult stem cells, on the otherhand, cannot differentiate into every cell type, but they regenerate the cells from where it was taken. Possibly these cells can reproduce the entire organ from just a few cells.

Do you ever ponder the seemingly impossible thoughts of the universe? From time to time, I find myself trying to imagine the concept of infinity, the existance of aliens, or whether time travel is a future possibility. I don't know why I spend time thinking of what cannot be proven or explained. Perhaps I supconsiously desire to explain these phenomonons utilizing logic and rationalization, or maybe I'm just a "curious george."
If the universe is infinite, where does it begin and where does it end? Of course, the concept of infinity has no beginning and no end - thats ludicrous. Spending too much time trying to visualize a neverending universe in your mind will eventually turn you crazy. Because our minds cannot comprehend the concept of infinity, we perceive it to be an endless loop, disregarding the infinite space radiating outward from the loop - just writing this post is beginning to boggle my mind.
Switching gears to another phenomonon, do aliens really exist? Nothing is impossible, and life on earth cannot be the only life in the universe. Perhaps, we are the only life in our galaxy, but not the entire universe. I suspect that every galaxy has atleast one planet capable of some form of life - and yes, simple organisms count as life. I don't think there's much to be said on the topic of aliens - certainly you can have a two-hour conversation about "life out there," but basically you either believe or you don't. I believe.
Time travel? No way, are you serious? I believe that time travel to the future will one day be possible, but I have already ruled out - from my logical thinking - the possibility of time travel to the past. If we can somehow travel faster than the speed of light for a long period of time, I suspect enough time would pass on earth to propel us into the future. However, once in the the future, we cannot return to the past, because what's passed is done. Actually, the more I think about it, the more I begin to doubt my own thoughts and try to disprove them. I guess we'll just have to wait and see.

Numbing of the American Mind

"What about the feeling that it's all been done?"

I feel there's nothing I can do except admit that I often question whether anything other than what we already know is possible. To an extent I think that is actually true - meaning we, humans, have not evolved enough intellectually for breakthrough innovations. Many people feel that we are at a standstill and are resorting to recycling old ideas. For example, take a look at the clothing style; after the early 90's we began to see the 70's style coming back and then the 50's "polo/prep" style and then to the current 80's retro. Zengotita questioned, "How many different ways can a finite set of shapes and colors be arranged in a finite space?" I believe that every century people have been pondering these very questions. It does seem impossible for anything new and unique to come around, but it will, in time. The problem with our period in time, is that we are a society living in the fast lane; we want everything at the push of a button. If we just look at how far music, for example, has progressed in the last 50 years, it is amazing compared to that of centuries ago. In the last 50 years, we have seen maybe 15 very different styles of music, whereas centuries ago, new styles were invented every 50-100 years. Basically, we perceive our society to have finite ideas in a world of infinite possibilities. Because our minds cannot comprehend the concept of infinity, we can't believe that is hasn't all been done before.

Intro Blog

Second semester is upon us, yet I am still not acclimated to the transition from high school and home to college. Why is it that some people can find change refreshing and welcome it with open arms, while I fear it. Perhaps college scares me because I don't know what I want to do with the rest of my life (a terrifying thought for anyone). College, indeed, is a whole new world. While high school was a breeze and studying was almost nonexistent, having to learn good study habits in college has been a major challenge. In high school, I barely studied outside of school and was able to learn the material and maintain A's in my classes; however, now that I'm in college, studying is an extemely important skill that I need to work on.
Another major change is having a roomate. At the beginning of the semester, it was a very different experience living with a complete stranger. I am a complete clean/neat-freak, and I didn't know whether she was messy - luckily, she's pretty much similar to me. As the months have gone by, I've gotten to know her better; although I don't think she knows me too well.
With these obvious changes, my transition has been rocky, but hopefully next year everything will be perfect - or close to it.