Consuela, my parents love hosting, and seeing the tundra from a small plane is amazing (provided you don't get airsick, like I do). Let me know when/if you'll be going, and I'll get you in touch with them.

In other news: The most decorated penguin at the Edinburgh Zoo

I've always thought Norway was cool.

If only the U.S. was this cool - we could replace Rumsfeld with an Emperor penguin.

Teppy makes my blush.

Nilly, I hope you understand how significant it is that, after I spent almost 5 years in a church that was ultimately damaging to me and to my view of God, your way of explaining *your* relationship with God is one of the only things that makes me think that it'll be possible for *me* to have a relationship with God some day.

That's REALLY significant.

Takes 466.97 cans of Pepsi to kill me but only 410.76 of RC. I may have to switch to the latter.

OK, going away to hide myself in shame over my babblingness.

That's crazy talk! Also, you mispelled "eloquence".

Besides, you'll actually get there before me, I think: I don't land until 8.

Provided I don't get stuck in traffic for six hours.

Something I learned last night while reading about Saturn V launches in the '60s: If someone is dumping surplus liquid oxygen into a ditch and there's no wind to dissipate the evaporating oxygen, don't start your car if it is nearby, as it will burst into flames.

If someone is dumping surplus liquid oxygen into a ditch and there's no wind to dissipate the evaporating oxygen, don't start your car if it is nearby, as it will burst into flames.

Thanks for the tip, people are always dumping their dang liquid oxygen in our dainage ditch.

Provided I don't get stuck in traffic for six hours.

t sends good traffic!karma to Shrift

Thank you so much, Juliana! I'd feel kind of imposing, but the prospect of flying over the tundra in a small plane, is omg so appealing. I'll try to let you know when I know.

Nilly, thanks for reprinting that. It definitely helped me to get my mind around what you mean. And actually, I do understand what you're getting at, where the meaning of what you're doing, even the smallest action, has a connection to the larger... "the larger scheme of things" is the phrase that's coming to mind, inexact though it may be. Your actions are given meaning, to you, by the context of the history and beliefs that shape them and guide them. Is that close to what you mean?

Okay, this is an imperfect parallel, but I think for me it's like trying to use recycled materials and not waste electricity and not eat meat (not that I am very good at following these guidelines sometimes). It doesn't really matter to the world at large that I do these things. If I don't eat that burger, someone else surely will; I won't have saved that cow's life. But it's important to me, personally, that I not contribute to the economic demand for hamburgers that leads to the creation and continuation of factory farming. Does it make a difference to those who are involved with factory farming, to those who profit from it? Nope, and it never will. But it makes a difference to me that I am not involved with it myself.

So, in a similar sense, my actions in that regard don't affect anyone but myself. But they have great meaning and importance to me, because of my own beliefs.

So, to go back to what you were saying earlier:

it really drove home the point that "all that matters is what we do".

Kate, that's the way I see it, too. For me, of course, it's also about G*d and religion, but in the value of the things, in themselves, not because of any other thing.

When you say "the value of the things, in themselves", do you mean that that value comes from your beliefs and your relationship with G*d? I think that's what was confusing me before, because I wasn't sure where that connection was.

Also, I'm not sure if it's even what you're talking about, Kate, sorry!

Hey, it's all a fascinating conversation to me, detours and all!

I'm off to lunch, by the way, and you're probably off to bed, so if I don't "see" you again today, thanks for talking to me about this and helping me to understand. I always enjoy and appreciate your perspective.