December 14, 2006

Extradimensional Christmas Songs and Tootsie Roll Pops

Lisa Randall is on Charlie Rose right now, talking about her work in physics. The subject is fascinating, and her passion is so engaging. Extra dimensions? Energy transfers between them? Humans trapped in a pocket of localized gravity? The universe is not what we think it is. She's got a new book out - Warped Passages: Unraveling the Mysteries of the Universe's Hidden Dimensions. I'd love to read it. Here she is as a guest on another show.

A few holiday observations: in retail and commercial settings, Christmas music is enough to make me want to change locations. I'd rather go home hungry or without urgently-needed household items than sit through another rendition of Paul McCartney's "Wonderful Christmas Time." And I like Paul McCartney.

I'm not a grinch. And I don't hate music. But that repetition of the small number of songs that exist in that genre really hurts my brain. And it makes me feel sorry for workers who have to hear that stuff for eight hours at a time. They hate it. I know, because I ask them.

Also, just out of curiousity, around the holidays, how much time do we spend in consumer pursuits of goods/decorating/party planning versus time spent in actual religious observation, or with family? I don't think our behaviors ring true with what we purport the holiday to be about. I know this isn't a bold new assertion. I'm just sayin'.

Ahhh...nostalgia.

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