Japan Caught on a Cheap Digital Camera, Pt. 2
Written by billywest on November 16, 2008
As you may know, I’ve started a new series (with unpredictable, sporadic installments) here called “Japan Caught on a Cheap Digital Camera.” Well, as promised (or threatened, depending on your point of view), here are more of the photos that I’ve taken with my cheap-ass camera in the last couple of years.
Posted in: Photos
Hey! (Hey!), You! (You!), Get Offa My Timeline!
Written by billywest on November 12, 2008
A favorite poem of mine is “The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost. Most people who know this poem rarely recall it in its entirety, but can usually recite at least a few lines from the final portion, which goes like
I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.
It seems to be the most moving and meaningful part of the poem for most people, and while I appreciate the thought-provoking power contained within these lines, I’ve always been intrigued by the first part, which goes like
Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;
Take a moment to soak in these lines, especially the part
…And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler…
Did Frost mean travel along two separate paths simultaneously?
While quantum physics theory was still in its early stage of development at the time of this poem’s publication (1916), and the infamous Copenhagen Interpretation of quantum mechanics, which implies that “unobserved” particles exist in a superpositon of quantum states, or more meaningfully, they exist in multiple realities sumultaneously, had not been revealed to the world yet, I can only imagine that Frost considered the idea of parallel universes or alternate realities at least briefly when composing these lines.
Or, maybe I’m just a friggin’ geek. Whatever.
Even before majoring in physics at university and in graduate school, I’d always been fascinated by the study of quantum realities and time travel. Yeah, yeah… I know most people who’ve never studied quantum mechanics think the idea of a superposition of multiple realities sounds like science fiction, but it is accepted scientific theory and has some strange-sounding interpretations that come along with it. I won’t go into details here, but you can read the great introduction to quantum physics for the layperson, “In Search of Schroedinger’s Cat” by John Gribbin.
Anyway, having thought a bit lately about roads and roads not taken, I’ve been wondering if there is a me somewhere who took a different path than the one I did, existing now in an alternate reality I can only imagine. And, if there is, is he wondering about the me that exists here and now writing this post? Whoa! Wait a minute… There are people in this world who are wondering if the ones they long for, but are far away, are thinking of them right now, and I’m wondering if some other version of me is thinking of me? Holy shit! That’s wrong somehow. But, anyway…
It’s funny how I hadn’t thought much about this stuff in the last year or so, but starting about a month ago, it’s been on my mind. Too much free time? Hell no; I’ve been as busy as ever with moving, changing positions at work, hanging out with friends, dating… Who knows, maybe I’m longing for some down time. Maybe some action at a distance has occurred and an alternate version of me is communicating with me somehow. Maybe it’s a plea for help from a me that is about to have his timeline erased. Jeez! I just gave myself the creeps…
Well, as luck, or fate, or the sheer randomness of the movements of the universe would have it, I came across a post by Tokyo Cowgirl that seemed to touch on the theme of roads not taken and it resonated with what had been going through my mind for the last several weeks. Being someone that is most often excited by the questions more than the answers (though I am uncommonly tenacious in seeking the answers once I commit myself to solving a problem), I enjoy thought-provoking stories, statements, whatever…
So, being all fired up again about alternate realities and time travel, I busted out my copy of “Primer” and watched it for the somewhere-between-40th-and-50th time. Have you seen this movie? It’s an indie that won big at the 2004 Sundance Film Festival and is likely the most powerful science fiction flick ever made. And, it was made on a $7000 budget with no special effects. Yeah, you have to put on your thinking cap for this one, but hey, you’ve got to pull it out of storage sometimes anyway; the moths have been at it.
So, now you ask, Has all this been just leading up to a movie recommendation? Well, maybe, maybe not. Either way, if you’re going to read any more of what I have to say on this subject, it might be better if you’ve watched “Primer” first.
Maybe next time, I’ll get into divergence points…
Update: This post has been updated at 7:10 to Tokyo
Japan Caught on a Cheap Digital Camera, Pt. 1
Written by billywest on October 21, 2008
Fellow blogger and friend Neil recently posted some random photos of Japan at his website and that has inspired me to dig through some of my older and more recent shots to dig out a few of my faves. Without further ado, here they are:
I’ll be putting some more of my favorite snaps up in the next installment of “Japan Caught on a Cheap Digital Camera”, so I hope you’ll come back and check them out.
Update: Part 2 is up now. Have a look if you’ve got nothing better to do.
Posted in: Photos
