Let’s launch our imagination to make a Moon shot AND and an Earth shot. — Roaring Rivers Torrents, currents, and ripples by Christyl Rivers, PhD Rivers of stars Just yesterday, our October 2023 copy of National Geographic arrived. It’s a “special issue” which means they go with just one theme and do several stories in depth. The cover simply says: SPACE. It’s been a really big year in the cosmos…

If it is Odin’s Day, why not call it Odin’s day? — Roaring Rivers Torrents, currents, and ripples by Christyl Rivers, PhD Kind of all over the place with my Wednesday blog this week But, it’s Wednesday, so I will leap over the hump with some Wednesday thoughts. Or, maybe it’s more like a clump — of trash. Let me explain. Wednesday is Odin’s day, named for Odin, the primary Norse god and father to Thor…

Post, or don’t post the thing you are thinking about most? — Can we be rational about the emotional? Years ago a man who fell in love with me posted about it in a public forum. This had mixed results. For him, people were supportive, and it helped him, I think, reflect on his feelings, be honest about a big part of who he is and what he was…

For me, the question comes back to belonging, Do we? — Roaring Rivers Torrents, currents, and ripples by Christyl Rivers, PhD Do we belong to the Earth, or not? Our species, sapiens, has a quirk that other species on Earth do not. We found that our amygdalae (that’s plural for amygdala) lit up as a result of emotional bonding we had for one another that helped us form civilization. Our amygdala…

Life is not black and white, it’s all over the place — Change your mind and change the planet Perhaps you hear everyday that we are in a divided world headed for civil war and authoritarianism. Please do not accept this. We are deeply entrenched in our political and emotional camps, but we also interact with people around the globe in thousands of ways from your shampoo to your…

Taking shorter showers is just the beginning. — Cutting down on wasted water To be better people, we have to waste less. Think of all the times when you run water: over vegetables, rinsing a razor, brushing teeth, cleaning the porch or sidewalk. Simply observe the many times you automatically have water running, and find an alternative way. When you rinse dishes, for…

Our Healthcare system is still broken, however — ALSO, spiders are really cool. Roaring Rivers Torrents, currents, and ripples by Christyl Rivers, PhD Monday after surgery, I’m tired First off, a big shout out and thank you to all of you who wished me well. The surgery went okay. I appear to be cancer (carcinoma) free. The scar below my eye is much larger than…

Using my body to test the healthcare system we have Roaring Rivers Torrents, currents, and ripples by Christyl Rivers, PhD Today is Friday, but I’m not here. I’m writing this late on Thursday. Posting on my way in the a.m. If I get time… Going down town and under the knife I have to have lump number six removed today. Like all of you, I am not in the…

If you love — or hate — feminism or patriarchy, you are affected — We live in a very sexist society We must admit that we live in a sexist society. It does not mean we are bad people. It does mean we are socialized people. There are still plenty of places in the world where women do most of the emotional, and often physical labor (like childcare, water-hauling, and farming.)…