A Cautionary Cosmic Tale Is it mankind’s destiny to evolve into a godless society? An astronomer climbed Mt. Improbable on a crisp, moonless night. He used a telescopic computer to count the celestial bodies in his 360-degree hemisphere. Meanwhile, one trillion other scientists, droids, or unknowable energy manifestations, also tabulated their respective numbers, many … [Read more…]
Poets and Kings and Sawdust Rings George Bernard Shaw was an Irish playwright who received a Nobel Price in Literature. Today he is regarded as one of the most important and influential playwrights in history.  He was also the founder of the Fabian Society. In his typical satirical manner, he once quipped, “Christianity would … [Read more…]
Christmas at Model Bakery For better or worse, the tradition of exchanging gifts at Christmas time, is rooted in the Biblical account of the Magi presenting gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh to the Christ child. However, from a purely secular (or scientific) perspective, the story is a myth, parable or misguided fabrication … [Read more…]
Three Cups of Tea Throughout the process of writing BOFAW (and Facebook entries) I tried to shine my magical flashlight on the people (especially students) and events that created what became known as Biodesign. It was not a poorly veiled form of self-deprecation, but an honest attempt to show that the millions of variables … [Read more…]
Full Circle: Lettie and the Final Synchronicity. Throughout the thousands of pages of Loren Eiseley’s 13 books, his greatest single line is, “It’s a great day to be alive!â€Â He was camping on a scientific field trip, got up early on a crisp morning and was overwhelmed by the beauty of nature and … [Read more…]
The Road Not Taken Robert Frost’s poem, “The Road Not Taken†has probably been used at more high school and college graduation ceremonies than any other reference. And, while I like the poem, what is more significant is that its message became a touchstone for the Biodesign Class. As it evolved and progressed it … [Read more…]
Melody—Kay—Vintage –1979-II Early this summer Melody contacted me to say that Kay Cummings (Shaw) was coming from New Zealand to show her husband Napa Valley. She and Melody were spending a week together and hoped to be able to visit with Christie and me. I smiled and did a mental flashback … [Read more…]
Melody—Kay—Vintage—1979 Melody Petersen (Floyd) was one of the earlier ex-Biodesigners to locate this page. She was in the Class of ’79 and intrigued that I had singled out her class as extraordinary. I tried to approach all classes without prejudice or expectations and, not wanting to hurt other student’s feelings, was hesitant to highlight … [Read more…]
Ingrid: “gratefulness, the heart of prayer.†At 17-years-old, she took the courageous step to travel 7,000 miles alone, from her home in tiny Yugoslavia, to St. Helena, Calif. She would attend her senior year of high school with “foreign†students, and live with a strange host family. She would make the grueling 10-mile hike … [Read more…]
We Are Seven William Wordsworth —A simple child, That lightly draws its breath, And feels its life in every limb, What should it know of death? I met a little cottage girl: She was eight years old, she said; Her hair was thick with many a curl That clustered round her head. … [Read more…]