The circle(s) of life

Dear members and constituents,
Today, I would like to talk about Carbon. Sure, with only six electrons you might not think much of it, however I find this particular element fascinating. It is, after all, the primary building block of life (sure it gets a little help from Hydrogen, Oxygen and Nitrogen). Carbon is also making a bad reputation for itself as a member of the greenhouse gas gang (again with some help from his buddy Oxygen) -- not to mention the workhorse fuel that has gotten civilization where it is today. It is this double life Carbon has been leading lately that captivates me. You could think of Carbon as the Dr. Jekyll (and Mr. Hyde) of the periodic table of elements. Carbon makes life possible, yet is a big part of the reason for global warming (which can make life impossible). One might say you can't live with it and you can't live without it. I must admit I find some of the terminology used somewhat amusing ("carbon diets" to reduce your "carbon footprint"). Be that as it may, it so happens that Carbon is also the element that makes Donuts possible. It should be no surprise, then, that donuts also have a dual nature and a bad rap in certain circles.

Our thanks go to Mr. Glenn Lispscomb, one of our newest members. I haven't counted them, but it would appear the three large boxes at my desk contain at least four dozen Winchell's donuts. So come bond your hot beverage to a donut or two. I think that is the chemical formula for a great Friday.

Cheers!

Comments

Donut Doodle Dandy

Dear Members and Constituents, In trying to figure-out Wednesday’s cool-looking Google Doodle ( Jorge Luis Borges’ 112 th birthday ), I stumbled across a list of Google Doodles you’ll never see. This, and a Rockies game later that day, were sufficient inspiration to get my head spinning around what other doodles Google might never noodle? I’m sure you’ll probably have a few ideas of your own, but I was able to come-up with a couple. How about a former Colorado Rockies player whose unfortunate encounter with a moth put him in the news this week? The Matt Holliday doodle might look something like this… Another item which, surprisingly enough, has not been made into a doodle are donuts. Although I was slightly taken aback to find this delicious pastry has not been featured, after the initial disappointment, I decided to take matters into my own hands and take a stab at one (perhaps Google can use it next year for national donut day )… or to celebrate Greek police having “ blown a ho...

A Dozen Rules to Live By

Friends, When it comes to the big questions, there are far too many platitudes, truisms, cliches and BS. Bookshelves are lined with so much advice, you’d think we would have answered them all by now. So, why do people keep doing it? I couldn’t tell you. Whatever the reason, here’s one more exploration to add to the interminable list. I’ve left God out of this post, so these “rules” should come in handy whether you believe life has meaning, or you think purpose is just our prefrontal cortex’s way of sabotaging our limbic system. And, since donuts come in dozens, it felt fitting that my list just happens to have twelve rules. Do it! (what are you waiting for?). Life sometimes feels like a dress rehearsal. So much time spent preparing for the future, there’s little time left to actually live life. Habit, routine and inertia have a way of filling the day. Try something new, who knows, you might enjoy it. Don’t overthink it. But, what to do? Give-in to a...

Enchanted Donuts

Friends, Mix equal doses of isolation, adaptation, and time. Add a pinch of random stowaway life forms. Remove predators. The result? An eclectic collection of surprising plants and animals known as the Galápagos Islands. Here, iguanas swim and dive for food, the largest members of the sunflower family grow into 45 foot tall trees, and boulder-sized tortoises blow past the century mark with ease. Frigatebird throats of red, boobie feet of blue, moth-pollinated flowers of white. And, having been granted constitutional rights , sea lions own most park benches in town. Surrounded by an ocean teeming with fish of all shapes and sizes, the only downside of spending time in this remote Ecuadorian province appears to be the complete absence of donut shops. I suppose I too can adapt. Happy Friday!

Friday Donuts

Search This Blog