Leary and the Library

I once got into an argument about parallel universes with a coworker in Portland, OR. Being an aspiring scientist, I have no use for spirituality when attempting to discover the reasons behind phenomena in the universe. My refrigerator, for example, become cold when plugged in because the freon coils and the compressor in the back are not broken. It is not a 'miracle'. I often say to those skeptics with little scientific knowledge "Just because you don't know why the sky is blue, does not mean no one knows."

I believe that everything makes sense, it just depends on your perspective. So when I attempted to explain to my co-worker that his theory on parallel universes made little scientific sense, he replied "What about Timothy Leary?"

Now, neurology is one of my favorite subjects. Not behavioral neurology, which is heavily related to psychology, but pure neurology, the study of the brain as an organism, and the effects of trauma and disease on the human nervous system. I am by no means an expert, though I hope some day to become one. I think that I know, or rather that I understand, how the brain essentially works, and that when some one, like say Timothy Leary, ingests large amounts of a drug like lysergic acid (LSD), which is chemically designed to interrupt and alter the organic function of the brain , their experiences while 'on a trip' are also organic, not spiritual. So when someone replies with indignation to me that the experience of a parallel universe can be compared to Timothy Leary, a psychologist enamored with LSD his entire life, my skepticism knows few bounds.

I watched the Linklater film Waking Life last night, and though I've seen it several times, this is the first viewing in which I really noticed when one of the characters mentions Timothy Leary in passing. I'm almost tempted to run to the library and check out a few of his books simply to fortify myself for the next time someone decides to employ Leary and quasi-science to support their hair-brained theories.

Which reminds me, I have yet to check anything out from the Boston library since I moved here. It's been almost two weeks. This is unacceptable, and shall be rectified post haste.

Also, I had an job interview today, the best part of which was meeting a new potential friend named Asia, who just moved to Boston from NYC. The place seemed sketchy, and if they're only looking to fill one position, I hope Asia gets it. I'm content to work at coffee shop or something.

And so it goes.