There are some things in life I simply do not understand, despite numerous attempts to figure them out. Maybe I have not tried enough. Maybe I do not care enough. Or, more likely, my brain has decided it has reached its storage limit and is no longer accepting applications. I understand the basics of most things. It is the fine print that loses me.
Take wind energy. I understand that those enormous turbines capture energy from the wind. What I do not understand is what happens next. Where does the energy go? What does a box of energy look like? Is there a giant energy closet somewhere? I have questions.
On the subject of wind, I also cannot explain why highway noise can be nearly silent one night and sound like the Indianapolis 500 the next. My meteorologist neighbor explained the atmospheric conditions to me in great detail. I nodded. I understood none of it.
I do understand the basics of a gasoline engine, but I have no desire to go much deeper. Still, the concept is remarkable. You pour a liquid into a machine, push a pedal and somehow a 4,000-pound vehicle moves down the road. That seems like magic with a warranty.
Then there is the telephone. Somehow my voice can travel through a phone and come out the other end. Even more impressive, sound can travel through the air without any visible evidence that it is doing so. And understanding streaming video? Forget it.
I grew up watching movies on VHS tapes and still never completely understood how all those pictures and sounds were crammed onto a strip of plastic. Now we can watch virtually anything instantly on a device that fits in our pocket.
And then there is the internet. I know Al Gore supposedly figured it out, but I still cannot visualize where the “cloud” is. Is it a building? A server farm? A bunch of computers sitting around somewhere with tiny umbrellas over them? Who knows.
Taste buds are another mystery. How does my tongue decide that one food is delicious while another tastes like something that should be used to patch a driveway? And why can two people eat the same thing and have completely different opinions?
Then there is my lawn. I put down fresh seed, topsoil and plenty of water. The result? Fresh seed, topsoil and plenty of water. Still no grass. Weed killer, meanwhile, has become so sophisticated it can distinguish Kentucky bluegrass from creeping Charlie. I cannot even match the right Tupperware lid to its container, but apparently we have developed chemicals with better judgment than I have.
So, before you send me a detailed explanation of any of these mysteries, please understand that I have reached a point in life where I am perfectly comfortable not knowing how everything works. My brain has limited storage. I need room for names, birthdays, passwords and where I parked my truck. If something works, great. If it doesn’t, I will find someone who knows why.
Some mysteries are worth solving. Others are best left to the people who actually enjoy reading the instruction manual.
Have a fantastic Friday, and thanks for reading.
Shane Goodman
Editor and Publisher
Times Vedette digital newsletter
shane@gctimesnews.com
641-332-2707