Is it science fact, science fiction, or something in between? This weekend, I was up north for a few days at a relatively unconventional convention. It all started a few months ago, actually, when I happened to meet Michael Tsarion (having subsequently read his freshly-published Atlantis, Alien Visitation & Genetic Manipulation). Now, folks typically don’t like hearing ideas that challenge their own. “This is the way it is, has been, and always will be” attitudes don’t allow for very much personal growth. As such, I’ve taken an extreme interest in the extraordinary events that have involved Earth in some way - keeping my eyes and mind open to various interpretations and explanations. The answers? Oh, they’re out there - but nobody knows who’s right, and nobody really knows who’s wrong. I’ve never seen anything paranormalish, but that doesn’t mean I don’t believe that unexplained events don’t happen. We weren’t quite sure what to expect from an expo which claimed to have new reports of ‘UFOs, ETs, Abductions, Encounters, Crop Circles, Earth Mysteries, and Conspiracies.’ Turns out, the gathering was based less on dogma and more on science than we had anticipated. Nobody was telling anybody what to believe. Nobody was flipping Mork’s Nanu-nanu sign, either (much to my chagrin). Evidence? Even that was subjective - but intriguing, nonetheless. Had I experienced this event while I was still in high school, perhaps I would have paid more attention in mathematics and geometry classes? There’s nothing about a textbook that is remotely exciting.

I yearn to learn - especially that which I do not fully understand. It’s not enough for me to support an idea merely because someone told me to do it - or because someone I know already does. Hardcore evidence isn’t always required, however; there are plenty of times I operate and act on faith. Still, it’s reassuring to discover that others hold the same values and truths close to their hearts - with science backing their play. Statistics are strange, insofar as most numbers can be manipulated to “prove” just about anything. That, again, is where the “f” word comes into play. How much are you willing to trust technology? Will it bring you closer to finding yourself, or keep you from seeing something so simple (such as your soul)? We wrestle with these questions every day without even necessarily knowing it. Is that hot new gadget really going to improve your life or lifestyle? Will it free you up or tie you down? Only you can answer these questions for yourself. Look to others for guidance, but never forget that you are in control of your own world. You can (or have already made choices to) keep that realm supremely simple or overtly complex. Yes, these very thoughts came to me from attending an event that was truly “out of this world.” I’m reflecting on them without electricity, too.