Whadaya know about Athanasius Kircher?

     Oh the Internet!!!! The many roads one may happen upon in the vast world of the network. It is deep. Really deep. 

   The physical world is growing smaller, in the sense that we humans are becoming linked- culturally, socially, economically- and just when one might become discouraged with all of this homogeny- well, there is the internet to consider.

    What does all of this available information mean to the human race? 

  As I am assessing my own life in a new and interesting way these days I have been faced with the fact that I have spent the last 15 years in the restaurant deal- learning valuable lessons sure- but what the HELL do I really know.  What value is there in knowing something anyhoo? What does it mean!!!??? 

      So back to the internet….

 In a search for more info on Charles the I, the English King beheaded in 1649

during

or between

or betwixt one of the English Civil Wars- I stumbled upon his death mask (which by the way, not to be morbid, when I do pass into the unknown-i want a death mask, they are really, er- ummm, “beautiful”, look at Abe).

   Newly entranced by the death mask collections of the world I continued my search and soon found myself perusing a website devoted to the inspiration given to we peasants by an Athanasius Kircher.  Kircher was a Jesuit scholar, known for his intellectual daring: he reportedly climbed into an active volcano -to see what it was like; pioneered the musical transcription of bird vocalizations; and magneticism well that really got him goin’.

   I am wholly intrigued with this guy- whom I had heard of before but really knew nothing about.   The Athanasius Kircher Society’s website: “The Athanasius Kircher Society was chartered to perpetuate the spirit and sensibilities of the late Athanasius Kircher, SJ. Our interests extend to the wondrous, the curious, the singular, the esoteric, and the sometimes hazy frontier between the plausible and the implausible —anything that Father Kircher might find inspiring if he were alive today”.  

 I LOVE THESE PEOPLE!!!!

  “the hazy frontier between the plausible and the implausible”…… This translates, as you will see, in many a wonderful way- check it out- http://www.kirchersociety.org/blog/

   So- it seems something has been revealed to me….. – the frontiers of existence seem to be taking shape in a really interesting sort-of Kircher-esque-ish fashion…….the eventual homogeny of the physical world does not mean the death of discovery. Look back, look forward, look around (hey-look on the internet!!!) it can all be new again……….YAY!