Climate change. Bee population decimation. Fascism proliferating globally. A global society, like it or not. Religious extremism. Nationalist extremism. Fracturing the crust for fuel leaving poison and compromised crust integrity behind. Shrinking forests, advancing deserts. Ocean population decimation. Human atrocities - some countries treat their entire female population as property, still. Human destruction. Humans being human.
I do like our species. And prior to the US election just a couple of weeks ago, I might have been able to grapple with thinking about the various problems we as a global and conscious species need to deal with for our survival.
However I do not see anything beyond this possible slide into fascism, this glacier of authoritarianism which has amazingly been rolling in, defiant of our not-so-distant past.
Weirdly, it's this giant weight of things to deal with and because we may be entering a new fight with modern Nazis that made me decide that I need to do whatever I can, while I can. It may not come to anything, and we as a species may be done for, but while I'm still here I think it a good way to pass the time.
And I'm not talking about blogging. Christ, no. But I do like to write and I do want to record what I'm about to do and I do want that to be public. I've entered a very distinct "fuck it" phase.
No, what I am about to do is take advantage with MIT's online courses. I have a specific goal in mind - more on that later - and it will involve taking full (from beginning to end) courses in both biology and engineering. I guess that no matter what time or freedom is left to me, I find this important and I'd like to spend whatever time and freedom is left to me pursuing this goal.
Other things I'm dealing with, just to set the parameters/give you a bit of background (but honestly, this is a blog, I'm sure I'll find the time to expound selfishly about what makes me me at some point): I'm trying to quit smoking. I think I'm going to attempt an angry technique this time. I seem to have myself convinced that I can't last three days without them. Might be a good idea to be pissed about that. Also, my beloved sister is about to have a second cancer operation with a second round of chemo. We live in separate cities, but I plan to do my part for her this time by sending things that are funny. She told me she wants to laugh.
There. First post. A stretch before a walk. Or a run. I still can't really tell how fucked we are, but I must admit - the diagnosis isn't good.
