Peace, Mercy and stary, stary night

The heating has now been turned on in the house and outside the dew on the grass as well as the mist in the air is gesturing forth autumn but brightly. It has been an interesting summer to say the least but the weather has been warm and kind. I suppose it is how we see things really. For some this summer will be one to remember full of espionage, intrigue and high tension. Others will see it as merely just another day and, for a few, a summer of peace, love, kindness, sorrow, grief to add to the intrigue and mystery.

I am now aware, more than ever, of an urgent need to return to the understanding given to us by God that this world is a battleground between forces of good and forces of bad. Before I could accept this from a psychological biological (evolutionary psychology) perspective but now see that it runs more deeply than just the material and that everyone is being influenced by principalities that are, simply put, trying to win souls. There are sides to take and choices to make. The New Testament offers us faith, hope and charity and tells the story more clearly than I could here but the matter is urgent and should not be treated lightly.

It is important not to take worldly things seriously but to find the good things of God. It is like receiving the childhood you never had and the friends you always wished for. It doesn’t take a lot of people to see the light. Sometimes just a handful can help you weather any storm, cross any bridge, walk through the desert, swim any channel, leap any crevice or climb any peak, but always, always, the focus is on the Trinity. Pray that you will see these friends and they will find you but be careful as we can all be deceived. Stand back and listen. Work on the forest of your own eye before you treat the sticks in another. The Lord will give to you whatever good things you dream.

Truth from the tower and nightwalks with deer.

Autumn could be warm this year but the summer is still here and this is maybe the longest summer I have ever been through, or at least it seems that way and in many ways will be an unforgettable one. I have been spending lots of time in contemplation, be it sitting in parks, sitting in my garden chair or while taking deep walks into the city night.

I must admit the stress of my current studies has been building, although I have managed to pass these current tutor papers so far, they are not easy and require lots of time to get right. Also I have been going through and experiencing many things about life and especially the life of a good friend of mine. It is a life about truth, hope, positioning, perspective, deer, feathers, horses, design, hearts, multitasking, towers, soulmates, healing and life.

I have been listening to the X Files: Soundtrack, Donnie Darko Soundtrack, Pearl Jam, lots of R.E.M and Live (throwing copper) as well as watching TV shows like Voyager Season 1 and films like Blade Runner, The Straight Story, The Squid and the Whale, The Crow, The Name of the Rose and X Files: I want to Believe. These seem to have played an important part in helping me through lots along with an extraordinarily gifted friend. I also read Jonathan Living Seagull, a book about how the sky is the limit and we can have our dreams, although I wonder sometimes if we really want our dreams to come true for the sake of others. Whatever may happen, t'is what it t'is.

Baptisms, water and fire.

This month has not been without its moments. Christianity is now the central part of my life, so much so that I have changed who I am friends with (which went very quickly down to very small figures!), threw out a load of rubbish around my home and acknowledged that God is in control. There are difficulties, like anything else, but things are getting better although I wouldn't say necessarily 'easier', just better, with a lot more peace and a lot more Holy Spirit with the Trinity.
Emma, my daughter, was baptized at the age of 1 ½. Why so late? I was atheist. We are all happy at home with that now. She has been baptized by water and I by fire. I cannot say much other than I actively feel God operating in my life. Also you learn who your friends are pretty fast. I am surprised and yet not by how quickly that whittled down from what I thought was lots to hardly any.

I finished studying plants and have just finished a tough paper on mineral transportation. Next is an experiment I need to do involving enzymes and a write-up of that. I think a lot about the good times and less about the bad. A very important friend reminds me often of the verse "Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Matthew 6:21

The summer is still here and it is warm but the first few leaves have just started to fall. I know there will be a few good weeks of weather left but the changes in the wind are here. Let us pray the Lord that the changes are for His good and ours.

Jesus is God Incarnate, Faith and the Holy Spirit

I haven't written in awhile because I have had a change in my situation. I have decided that atheism is lifeless and not good for me at all. I have switched over to theism, specifically Christianity and believe the Bible.

Jesus is God. I have faith that God has entered human history and that Jesus is God. That following Jesus is the path to God. I felt bad about giving people reasons not to believe in God. I was misrepresenting Christianity by saying things like "science and Christianity" are incompatible. I regret a lot and listening to Christians helped me learn that. Many of the things atheists ask are answered in scripture in particular the scriptures about the temptation of Jesus in the desert with the devil who asks 3 things of Jesus, to prove he is god, to rule earth like a king.

The reason why Jesus won’t stay dead is because he isn’t.

I am still studying science.

Meatless, Plants and Six Feet Under

Summer is going strong and will probably get even warmer. I am literally sweating by the time I get home. So the weather right now is really good and I am enjoying it as much as I can.

I have now a choice between microbes, plants and animals and to specialize in two. I believe it will be plants and animals. Right now I am studying the plant section and I find it more interesting than microbes but also more detailed. I am also into revision a lot more and go back over work I have done to try and get a better grip of the material for the october exam. There is a lot of study to do and I find that it is very complex beyond belief. Lots of others are in a bit of panic mode although there are ways to deal with this.

Since I started with the animal rights book I stopped eating meat. It has been interesting doing this lifestyle change because it’s not easy. Switching from not eating meat is the easy part. The hard part is finding vegetarian dishes at lunchtime or discovering what’s new to cook. So I purchased a Veganomicon and I am cooking from it.

I finished reading Unweaving the Rainbow by Richard Dawkins. I am currently reading The Theory of Evolution by John Maynard Smith. I finished watching season 1 of Six Feet Under and season 4 of Battlestar Galatica. I am watching the last season of Deep Space Nine Season 7, the final season of Battlestar Galatica and Season 2 of Six Feet Under.

Animal Rights, Microbes and Six Feet Under.

Summer is here already and I am going to work in the morning in a short sleeve shirt and it's going to get hotter still. I now go out to my garden and read my books. When I go walking I have my sunglasses on. So the weather is incredible and certainly makes things easier.

I am now studying microbial life and while I thought I had finished a major part of biochemistry it turns out that microbes have their own complex biochemistry of metabolism and so I am still learning it. The overall material is now becoming extremely complex in both technical information and study. I have to get my tutor to help me work out a better plan for studying because it is becoming so deep and it is only going to get even harder. I am enjoying what I am studying a lot but the sheer volume of information is extremely overwhelming.

One area that has begun to interest me is animal rights and animal testing. I was basically flung straight into animal testing in certain chapters I am covering and it didn't say much in the way of ethics. So this played on my mind and I have since started to read up on Animal Liberation. Right now I am reading 'Animal Liberation' by Peter Singer and it is an amazing although horrific read and has a very strong potential to change my worldview.

I finished reading Darwin's Dangerous Idea by Dan Dennett. I recommend it for anyone interested in the philosophy of evolution. I am currently watching Battlestar Galactica Season 4 and Season 1 of Six Feet Under. Both are excellent television series. I am also watching Mysterious World by Arthur C. Clarke from the 1980s, and am still playing Resident Evil 5. I am also reading Richard Dawkins Unweaving the Rainbow.

Sherlock Holmes, Cells and the Spring

While there was the odd spell of cold weather it seems that spring really is here and it gets hot too. I had to wear a t-shirt outside this weekend but resumed some bird spotting and binocular astronomy. The bad news is that the economy is still having some problems.

I finished the major part of biochemistry and am now back on genetics and will soon be turning to microbial life. The biochemistry was indeed as savage as expected. I understand the principles but could do a lot better. It really is another world and a lot is expected from me. I only had 6 weeks to cover it and the depth of the material is most certainly something that should take many months to learn. So the pressure is on. I have had to restructure study plans and methods to make way for this.

I finished reading River Out of Eden by Richard Dawkins. Watched The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes. The Return of Sherlock Holmes and am currently playing Resident Evil 5. What more can I say really other than a month vanished mostly into the abyss of organic chemicals, proteins and how cells deal with them. Still its what I signed up for. :)

Economic woes, Biochem and Facebook

It is only today that I feel somewhat comfortable in saying that spring is probably here and the first buds are showing on the trees and flowers. It is a good sign but it may be the only good sign. It is a time of economic gloom unfortunately. While the business I am in is not directly affected by this economic recession it is indirectly and there have been some cutbacks. I still have my job and am in the work force (something many don't have the luxury of) but delays have forced payments to be put ahead by six weeks so many of us will be dipping into savings. In terms of finance, this year, 2009, will be a very bad year and there is nothing anyone can do. Everyone, globally, is being hit by it. On a more positive note 2010 looks set to be a better year for me. I have some projects that are promising and that should make things a bit better. Also I have my health so I can't complain.

My study has now moved onto biochemistry, a part of life sciences that requires me to learn about cellular processes and organic chemistry. I believe this is the part that many biologists do not particularly enjoy because it departs so much from furry cuddly things and becomes more about protein structures, cell organelles and transportation with a heavy emphasis on pathways and cycles so complex as to render even the best biologist feeling helpless in spaghetti-like diagrams of endless chemistry. This is all just straightforward memorizing and learning the details. Biochemistry shows no mercy but I still like it, all the same.

I watched South Park Season 2, two Sinbad films (7th voyage and tiger eye), Plan 9 from outer space, Eye of the Needle, Eastern promises, Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, Robin Hood (with Earl Flynn), It came from outer space, 1 Million years BC and played F.E.A.R 2 and finished playing Dead Space. I also watched David Attenborough's The Life of Mammals and Life in the Undergrowth. Above all though, probably the most interesting thing about this month was the fact that I am beginning to use Facebook more and more. What a very popular site and a very novel way of networking with people. I can only think of good things in store for Facebook.

Jmemorize, adaptations and tea

It is full swing biology study now with work and revision taking up my life and this will continue throughout the year into October. Since I don't drink or smoke I have managed to put together a semi-impressive tea collection that includes English breakfast, earl grey, ceylon and gunpowder tea. I get through like five cups per day. I had some English Afternoon tea but it didn’t last too long. If I can get more I will. The mornings are still a little chilly and even though they had bad weather in Ireland and England it wasn't too bad here. Here the spring is short though and the days get better fast although there can be the odd surprise snow.

My study is mostly about how organisms survive the winter, digestion, genetics, reproduction and immune systems. I use Jmemorize to remember things. I highly recommend this system of flash card learning. It really does improve one’s learning capabilities. What a super little simple program it is too.

I played Dead Space, Mass Effect and Half-Life: Source. I watched Deep Space Nine: Season 6 (the best DS9 season so far) and 24 season 2. I also watched David Attenborough's The private life of plants and The Life of Birds. I watched some films like Southland tales, Frost and Nixon Watergate interviews and Sinbad. However the highlight was reading a book called Adaptation and Natural selection by George Williams. It is an excellent book on the scientific criticisms of some forms of evolution, namely group selection, and aims more at selection at the level of the gene. I will read it again someday. I am currently reading Darwin's dangerous Idea by Daniel Dennett and Thus spoke Zarathustra by by Friedrich Nietzsche.