Favorites

I don't know what prompted me to write this post, but here are a few of my favorites with some explanations.  Note that just because I say it is my favorite here, does not mean that it is my favorite tomorrow, etc.

Favorite Painting:  Saint Cecilia and the Angel.  Orazio Gentileschi

I first saw this painting in Mr. Hall's art history class.  It is not really a famous painting, and Saint Cecilia is a rather obscure saint (of music), but I took to this painting right away.  I was just enamored by the depiction of Saint Cecilia.  She seems so simple, beautiful and clean.  She has her sleeves rolled up so that she can work (play the organ).  It also seems like she could relate to me.  When I saw it, it took me about thirty seconds to realize that there was an angel or an organ in the picture.  To be honest, realizing that there were these other accouterments actually detracted from the painting a little for me.

Favorite Sculpture:  Dying Gaul.  Epigonos?

Again, Mr. Hall's class, but when I saw it there, I thought nothing of it.  However, when Mother and Daddy took me on my senior trip to Italy, I got the chance to see it in person.  I am not sure what it was that got me, but this statue just spoke to me (metaphorically).  I think I circled it five times in a busy day just looking at it.  There is so much emotion built into this one sculpture.  It is amazing.

Favorite Church:  San Vitale.

I thought that this was going to be a great church when I first learned about it.  I got to visit it in Ravenna as well.  It is a small church, but it met up to my expectations and more.  The octagonal design was genius, the decoration very appropriate (lots of mosaics), history fascinating (for example, Charlemagne copied his private chapel after this; he thought that the second floor was for nobility while here it was reserved for the women), and not very well visited.  Mother and Daddy both commented that I was most excited for this church, and I think that I agree.  Somewhere out there, there is a cool little program online that lets you see what it looks like from the center and you can change your viewing angle, which is probably the best thing after going to Ravenna to see it yourself.  If you do decide to go, maybe I can come too...?  :)

Favorite Soup/Stew/Chowder:  Mother's Oven Stew or Clam Chowder.

I couldn't find a picture that adequately represents the delicious splendor that is Mother's oven stew.  Which of these I would rather eat really depends on the day, but either are fine choices.  I would be happy to eat either of these any season of the year.  Even if it is a hundred degrees out, I think I might still want some of this piping hot and fresh out of the oven/pot.  As the bowl says, "Mmm, mmm, good!"

Favorite Mathematical Subject:  PDE's (Partial Differential Equations).

The above equations are used in MHD (magneto-hydrodynamics), which describes the dynamics of charged fluids, such as plasmas, neutron stars, possibly clouds, etc.  I think that the reason I like PDE's so much is because they are how physicists describe the world around them right now.  I will sometimes sit in church and think to myself, "Hmm.  This gospel principle follows this sort of function.  That sort of function is likely to appear from this sort of differential equation.  I wonder what sort of underlying mechanisms there are that would give one such an equation."  And then I go on to further contemplate the gospel principle, trying to better understand it from that point of view.  I also will relate the gospel other concepts in physics.  For example, I once realized that quantum tunneling can be related to the atonement of Jesus Christ.

I hope you all enjoyed my random post!

Eclipse

Last week there was a solar eclipse that was quite visible from my part of the US.  I helped out at our astronomy department's big outreach event of the year, and so they gave me special eclipse-viewing sunglasses.  I tried using the sunglasses for looking cool, but it turned out that you just are blind unless you are staring straight at the sun.

On Sunday, around 6:30 the eclipse began.  It was quite a long event, but I started to watch a little after the eclipse began.  I showed a bunch of people in my ward my glasses and let them look at the sun as well.  It was surprising to see how many of them were surprised I knew so much about eclipses (not that much).  My being a physicist seemed to satisfy their curiosity.

Right as the eclipse reached its minimum light state, clouds started to roll in, and it gave the illusion that the sun was completely blocked out.  My favorite part of the whole of the eclipse was the fact that it got so dark.  Shortly afterwards it got brighter again.  Sadly, the revealing of the sun again was mostly hidden by thick clouds, so that was the event.



This is not my picture (http://wordlesstech.com/2012/05/22/videos-of-annular-solar-eclipse-may-20-2012/), but it is still really cool.  Notice that the sun makes a ring around the moon; the moon does not completely cover the sun.  This is called an annular eclipse.  The reason for this is that the moon is too far from the earth, and so just becomes a (big) dot in the sun.  Total eclipses are ones where the moon is close enough that it completely blocks out the sun, and spontaneously cause Christina and Tanner to start singing and dancing.

Because I Have Been Given Much

I have been having a really busy semester. I am taking three classes (all of which desire all of my time; typical graduate classes) and working on two research projects in addition to working on finding a wife. At the same time, I have realized that I have gained a fair amount of weight since my mission, and so I am trying to cut back on eating and increase time exercising (or at least not sitting around my apartment or office). This leads to a tired mind, which makes my other endeavors a little more difficult.

The reason that I mention the above situation is to present the following scenario, my emotions intact. Recently I have been asked by my fellow classmates to help on some homework. This is not a problem as I love to help others with their physics and teaching is wonderful. The problem comes from my need to get more work done. Sometimes I have thought about saying no, just because I don't have time. But sometimes, when I am especially tired, my thoughts for saying no come closer to "why haven't you put enough time into your work?"

Today, as I walked home, I was thinking (as usual), singing (fairly common) and praying (not as common as I wish it were). What was interesting was that the songs that came into my head (hymns - rather common) seemed to dictate my prayer and thoughts. I know that the Spirit helped put them there. One of the hymns was "Because I Have Been Given Much". As I thought about the words, it occurred to me that I have been given much. Not just material goods, either, though I am abundantly blessed in those. I have been given a wonderful education, the ability to learn and an ability to teach what I learn to those around me.

Often I have wondered about how to apply King Benjamin's counsel about giving to the poor (Mosiah 4:13-22) to my age and life. I keep wondering whether I am to give to beggars who are more than likely not in need. But there are more needs (especially in this day and age) than just material needs. People need help and ask for it every day. It may not be for food and clothing, but it might be for a friend, for a kind word, or it might just be for help with homework.

"Perhaps thou shalt say: The man has brought upon himself his misery; therefore I will stay my hand, and will not give unto him of my food [homework help], nor impart unto him of my substance that he may not suffer, for his punishments are just -

"But I say unto you, O man, whosoever doeth this the same hath great cause to repent ...

"For behold, are we not all beggars? Do we not all depend upon the same Being, even God, for all the substance [knowledge, abilities] which we have ... of every kind?" (Mosiah 4:17-19)

I am grateful that I did help those who came to me for help. I am grateful that they were willing to ask me for help, that they trusted me that I would help them if I could. Indeed, I have been given much; from my family, from my teachers and, most especially, from God.

"Because I have been given much, I too must give;

Because of thy great bounty, Lord, each day I live

I shall divide my gifts from thee With ev'ry brother that I see

Who has the need of help from me."

(Hymns #219 - Because I Have Been Given Much)