art to science

When i was younger, i had no interest in anything science.  That was the thing my mom did.  that was what my brother did.  it was for geeks. it was too much memorization.  It had nothing to do with me, and it wouldn't affect me if i didn't pay attention to it.  ...why did i think that?
and the environment.  all through college, i had these super hippy friends who were obsessive about recycling and reusable water bottles and stuff.  and i just figured, that's their thing, i've got mine.  even in americorps, when i started, i just shrugged off all the environmental stuff.  i figured, sure, i'll recycle, that's a good thing to do.  this reusable water bottle is kind of nice, saving me money and all, and never thought beyond that.  i liked hiking, but i didn't want a project to build trails.  what a waste! i thought.
and then i changed my mind.  when? i'm not sure.  Maybe it was going to a place (st. bernard, louisiana) that didn't have things like recycling.  a place where my reusable water bottle wasn't quite so much use to me since the water wasn't drinkable.  a place where trash was piled everywhere.  maybe it was going to a place where we couldn't swim in the gulf because of the pollution (biloxi, mississippi) even 2 1/2 years after the hurricane.  How scary is that!

So now, i find that all this science stuff is incredibly interesting.  Instead of tossing away the science section of the NY Times, i pick it up eagerly.  (Did you see this?

Science helps art

FINDINGS

A High-Tech Hunt for Lost Art

By JOHN TIERNEY

Published: October 6, 2009

Leonardo da Vinci probably would have loved the use of scientific gadgetry to locate his lost masterpiece.

How amazing is that?)


and today, i listened to an entire radio program on radiolab about parasites.  and found it interesting! in fact, i found it fascinating, it made me laugh, i was so intrigued that i got home and had to go online to find the podcast and listen to the rest of it.  

have i changed?  has the nature of presentation changed to make it more palatable for me?  or have i just started finally paying attention?
and why did i ever stop liking science?

actually, i think i know the answer to that question.  When i was in 8th grade, i started really struggling in my science class.  I'd never struggled to grasp an idea before.  i'd never had trouble learning and getting good grades.  and for the first time, i did.  and i tried, but i never quite got good at it, so i was frustrated.  so i guess i gave up. 
all those years of learning cool sciencey things i missed out on!  

have you hugged a tree recently?  because it's awesome.

(photo from this guy)