Is all well? That's a question of scale. On the Red Planet, NASA's Perseverance Rover had a good week; it broke the local speed record by driving a lightning tenth of a mile per hour across the bed of the Jezero crater. At this speed, the cute little explorer moved towards its new home for the next half (Earth) year. The first campaign on Mars, on the crater floor, has now officially ended, and the Delta Front Campaign officially started some ten days ago.
This week I took steps on behalf of living responsibly on our planet. Beginning my project a few months ago by selling and donating many of my possessions, this week I sold my car, left Texas, moved back to Chicago in 300 sq ft surrounded by markets, vegan restaurants, art, nature, and all accessible by foot or cycling. Your work and your words are partially responsible. I am feeling hopeful. 🌍🌻🌷💙
Hi Rena, that is wonderful to hear. You may be living smaller, but you'll be surrounded and enriched by all you need, and indeed with a much smaller footprint. I hope you will fully enjoy the new life! I would love to hear about your first experiences with this huge change.
A brilliant perspective of your deep reflections on the condition of our planet and beyond, as well as that of humanity. On one end of the scale all is fine so many light years away as you’ve rightly recognized but there are vast differences as we travel downward. It’s tempting to stay focused on the Europa end of the scale and contemplate those interesting findings and what they mean on distant planets and moons and how we may have gotten to our own Earth.
What is happening in our own realm of the scale gives far greater angst.
We’ve failed our planet to the point of desperation for its future. We’ve failed as a civilization allowing tyrants to control the fates of innocents and treat them like dispensable refuse. As Sec Gen Guterres said today, “War is evil” and we see that evil playing daily before us as the evil perpetrator threatens the world with nuclear war.
I agree it’s hard to enjoy the glories of burgeoning Spring when we see genocide of fellow humans and the destruction of a once beautiful and peaceful country.
Thank you for another journalistic excellence and also the fourth scale, classic beauty Luna, safe at home.
Should I admit that I always scoll to the bottom to see if there is a Back Page picture? Probably not ;-) Thank you for this one. Sometimes it really helps to change your perspective! Loving all the planetary facts and also what you said about education.
What really stuck though was that because the world feels like a village it becomes more difficult to enjoy or be present where you actually are. The focus is on the world, on natural disasters, on wars, but not on your own neighborhood. Such a contrast to how I grew up as well.
Thank you also for always providing your sources.
And Luna ... what can I say? Such a star. I think she knows it too. And so beautifully captured. Great picture.
sometimes I add articles to the notes that I didn't use as a source but that are just interesting for anyone that wants to read a bit more. So sources is likely better than the world 'notes' that I use.
Great post, and excellent points that everyone else has already pointed out! I always find news about potential life on other planets hopeful - it helps me keep life on Earth in perspective! 😄
From all that I've read it is very likely that there is life on other planets, but sadly anything outside the solar system is out of reach. Perhaps that's a blessing for whomever is out there.
Yesterday, 27 April, was a similarly ironic day for me, too. It was my birthday, and as I count my blessings that despite plague, war, etc., I am still here, still upright, and mobile. I am grateful for every day, every kindness, every birdsong, especially as HELL rages on. Nothing is trivial.
This week I took steps on behalf of living responsibly on our planet. Beginning my project a few months ago by selling and donating many of my possessions, this week I sold my car, left Texas, moved back to Chicago in 300 sq ft surrounded by markets, vegan restaurants, art, nature, and all accessible by foot or cycling. Your work and your words are partially responsible. I am feeling hopeful. 🌍🌻🌷💙
Hi Rena, that is wonderful to hear. You may be living smaller, but you'll be surrounded and enriched by all you need, and indeed with a much smaller footprint. I hope you will fully enjoy the new life! I would love to hear about your first experiences with this huge change.
Wow, what a change. Good luck with everything!
A brilliant perspective of your deep reflections on the condition of our planet and beyond, as well as that of humanity. On one end of the scale all is fine so many light years away as you’ve rightly recognized but there are vast differences as we travel downward. It’s tempting to stay focused on the Europa end of the scale and contemplate those interesting findings and what they mean on distant planets and moons and how we may have gotten to our own Earth.
What is happening in our own realm of the scale gives far greater angst.
We’ve failed our planet to the point of desperation for its future. We’ve failed as a civilization allowing tyrants to control the fates of innocents and treat them like dispensable refuse. As Sec Gen Guterres said today, “War is evil” and we see that evil playing daily before us as the evil perpetrator threatens the world with nuclear war.
I agree it’s hard to enjoy the glories of burgeoning Spring when we see genocide of fellow humans and the destruction of a once beautiful and peaceful country.
Thank you for another journalistic excellence and also the fourth scale, classic beauty Luna, safe at home.
Thank you, Lizzie, the black and white fourth scale is sitting next to me on my desk right now
🥰🥰🥰
Should I admit that I always scoll to the bottom to see if there is a Back Page picture? Probably not ;-) Thank you for this one. Sometimes it really helps to change your perspective! Loving all the planetary facts and also what you said about education.
What really stuck though was that because the world feels like a village it becomes more difficult to enjoy or be present where you actually are. The focus is on the world, on natural disasters, on wars, but not on your own neighborhood. Such a contrast to how I grew up as well.
Thank you also for always providing your sources.
And Luna ... what can I say? Such a star. I think she knows it too. And so beautifully captured. Great picture.
sometimes I add articles to the notes that I didn't use as a source but that are just interesting for anyone that wants to read a bit more. So sources is likely better than the world 'notes' that I use.
Great post, and excellent points that everyone else has already pointed out! I always find news about potential life on other planets hopeful - it helps me keep life on Earth in perspective! 😄
From all that I've read it is very likely that there is life on other planets, but sadly anything outside the solar system is out of reach. Perhaps that's a blessing for whomever is out there.
It probably is a blessing... but I live in hope that humanity is evolving for the better! :)
Yesterday, 27 April, was a similarly ironic day for me, too. It was my birthday, and as I count my blessings that despite plague, war, etc., I am still here, still upright, and mobile. I am grateful for every day, every kindness, every birdsong, especially as HELL rages on. Nothing is trivial.
I recognize those mixed feelings. Still a belated happy birthday
Thank you so much!
That is so kind of you! Great to see you back here in the comments. I hope you will write more on your own newsletter!