But we came up with the test.

Space, the universe, stars, and the Christmas Star have all been topics of conversation amongst my family this week.

It all eventually boils down to a saying that my Dad and I say to each other often.

"You think there's intelligent life out there?" he asks me.

I reply with a quote from Contact: "It'd be an awful waste of space if there's not."

And then we start talking about this blog post, where I quote Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson: "I wonder if we're smart enough to figure out the universe. We define ourselves as intelligent. But we came up with that test."

I'm glad that I created a blog and captured that instant.

https://kansasmusings.blogspot.com/2014/03/geek-central.html

Back to you.

 There's seven minutes left of Christmas day and tonight, I can't stop thinking of Nashville. 

It's a beautiful, magical city, and it's a city that healed my broken heart last year. When I left Tennessee, I told myself that I would go back and visit each year. 

I recognize some of the photos coming out of the news today about the bombing downtown. 

Authorities Search For Nashville Bomber 

I'm pretty sure I said this after the tornadoes that ripped through Tennessee earlier this year. 

Nashville, I love you and I can't wait to go back to you. 

Convergence

 

Jupiter, Saturn merging in night sky, closest in centuries

I'm going to borrow someone else's words here, and hope my Facebook friend won't get angry with me. 

"Finally the clouds parted. And there they were—Jupiter and Saturn in convergence as

The Christmas Star. In the western Kansas sky.

To think 2000 years ago three Wise Men followed this same convergence to a babe in a manger—the King of Kings.

And I’m seeing it in my lifetime.

It’s humbling. And awesome."

Two zero, two zero?

 How adorably funny is the new Match.com commercial?

Satan?

Two zero, two zero?

Just call me 2020. 

If that were saved for the Super Bowl, that would have won best commercial, hands down. 

Thank you

What a beautiful song!

Thank you - Pentatonix 

Oh, Lord, it's been a year

With little joys and little fears

It's finally here, Christmas day
My love, I need some hope
A little faith, a hand to hold
It's awfully cold, Christmas day

Watch the snow fall down like me sometimes
But you pick me up and then pick me up again
Like the winter leaves I can't survive
Without your light

Thank you for your smile
It's warmer than the fire
Your gentle laughter
Is sweeter than a choir
I'll never know
The right words to choose
So all I can say
Is thank you

We fell into the snow
And talked about growing old
So here's to a hundrеd more Christmas days
This house will be our homе
And my heart will be your own
As the candles glow, Christmas day

Watch the snow fall down like you sometimes
But I'll pick you up and then pick you up again
Like our winter tree on Christmas night
It needs some light

Thank you for your smile
It's warmer than the fire
Your gentle laughter
Is sweeter than a choir
I'll never know
The right words to choose
So all I can say
Is thank you
Thank you

Spent all this time hanging lights
But I'm just blinded by your eyes
I look outside, the ground is white
But you and I should probably stay inside

Thank you for your smile
It's warmer than the fire
Your gentle laughter
Is sweeter than a choir
I can't believe
This year you've got me through
The least I can do
Is thank you

Like a dream come true.

My favorite youngest niece turned five this month.

Five!

When she opened her birthday present, which was a Barbie car, she screamed. Later, when she was playing with it, she declared, "This is like a dream come true."

Happy Birthday, C. May I always keep making your dreams come true.