Electric.

So this afternoon after arriving home from work, I switched the light on in my house, grabbed the remote, turned on the TV, and sat behind my computer. Probably something that most people do when getting home. Yet, the realization never occurs of how complicated all that stuff is.

Electricity has been around forever. People were experiencing it probably since the beginning of time when they'd cuddle up to their wolly mammoth and suddenly experience a static shock. So why did it take several thousand more years until CGI Ben Franklin realized the potential of all this and flew a kite in a thunderstorm?

(The real question is who is that other guy and what the hell is he trying to do?)


The point is that the way we've been able to harness energy is simply fascinating. Trying to picture a world without it harkens back to August of 2003. I remember sitting at home all day long, doing absolutely nothing, before I made the decision to go to bed early as a result of having nothing to do. (And for those of you asking why I didn't just read a book, I don't know how to read.) At any rate, once I came to that decision, the power was restored and I could once again bathe in the cold, harsh rays of florescent lighting. Even so, it made me realize how dependent we all are on electricity and the uninterrupted supply that we currently enjoy.

One of the reasons I decided to start this was recognizing how quick we are to take the enjoyment of something without respecting where it came from. (I learned that idea from Jeff Goldblum in Jurassic Park. This is pretty much the same thing as dinosaurs.) I don't need to know precisely how everything works, but I feel I should at least attempt to realize how difficult all of this is to maintain. A generator needs to process the energy and then deliver it individually to every home and business in the country through a complicated method of wiring and outlets.

The thing that will ultimately be most difficult about this blog is whether or not I will be able to find ways to really make us think about stuff. It could very easily become rather monotonous in tone and offer nothing new. At the very least, I hope that people are looking at this information and recognizing our underlying capacity of amazement. Either that, or finding entertainment in bizarre CGI photos of historic moments.