I wish I had some stunning revelation to share with yall.

[quakerboy]

But I do not.

So far my Christmas has consisted of staring at 3 balloons that I was given nearly 2 months ago, which are still floating near my ceiling. It has become an endurance issue. Will they last longer or will I. I wonder how long a balloon can retain its helium. At the current rate I am guessing better than 4 months

Also I have been thinking about education. It seems like there is a full court press to underfund and defund it. On the one hand, I hate to see kids screwed that way. On the other, I suppose at some point it will be a boon for those of us who received an education in the waning days. It came as quite a surprise to me that my computer skills are still better than those of the incoming generation. I figured at some point as they became young adults they would stop bringing me problems, and I would have to start asking them questions, just as I did with my elders what seems like forever ago.

Have we peaked as a people? It scares me to think that my generation may be the "most adept" at dealing with modern life. The ones that come after us... I worry.


In the mean time, a question that I have been pondering for some time. Imagine that we could solve the resource issues our modern world faces. With things like rooftop solar fuel creation being pondered, it is not unimaginable that we could find a way to live at our current level of energy squandering and that other problems could be similarly solved without driving the earth further down into some sort of super ecological disaster.

Anyhow, imagine that we found a way to make the modern American lifestyle sustainable, spread to the entire planet. And then that we kinda took a break from all the innovation and tech growth that we have been seeing. What would humans look like in a thousand years? What sort of evolutionary pressures do modern life provide?

[rug]

1. You lost me at staring at balloons.

[quakerboy]

2. It happens

how ya doin?

[rug]

3. Good, thanks for asking.

Quiet time at home. No running around. Just the kids, cats and wife. You seeing anybody today?

[quakerboy]

4. Heading over to family later

An aunts house. Fortunately(?) everyone is poor as dirt, so its all about family anyway. I expect it will be somewhat melancholy, as this is the first Christmas after the passing of the matriarch. The sisters are all still about, but grandma's gone. We will see.

[rug]

5. Ah, they'll be especially glad to see you then.

Have a good Christmas evening with your family.

[quakerboy]

6. We can hope

I think everyone likes me right now. Except maybe my cousin. But I have sincere doubts he will be there.