tidbits and the universe

Whoa - that last post o' mine was long, wasn't it? Sorry about that. To keep myself entertained as I paced around worrying that night, I promised myself I could write about it in my blog. So that was a gift to myself.

We leave tomorrow afternoon to go here. (Wait - keep your browser on the picture for a while and watch the slope. That's me!!")
The building in the bottom right is the place where our condo is. Convenient, huh?
Can't wait!! We ski all day long until we are so tired we're near tears, then go inside for dinner and board games. I love this part of winter. I've got the wine and the makings for s'mores all packed up. Should be a blast!

Anyone catch the story about astronomers finding an earth-like planet? (earth-like meaning probably rocky and icy and not a massive gassy planet like Jupiter). Here's a press release.

This kind of stuff is as comforting to me as religion is to some people. This is what is *there*. We're a grain on a sandy beach the size of the solar system (I have no idea about the accuracy of that statement - I'm just trying to be poetic), and the idea of a huge, churning, active, alive universe makes me feel.... included? I can't fathom the idea that we (meaning living beings) are so unique in this universe. It's implausible. I love the idea of other lives, other civilizations, other emotions, other goals, other values out there. We don't even know the right questions to ask about them. We've put boundaries on our lives and our understanding of live that are artificial, and I love the idea of them being blown to bits. You know? And what I would *really* love is to find evidence of the vastness of life sometime before I die. *THAT* would rock.