My Heartsongs

The WHO recently released a report claiming that more than 871,000 people die from loneliness each year—almost 100 an hour. It defines loneliness as the distress that comes from the lack of desired relationships, while social isolation is defined by the objective absence of social ties.

The underlying reason for long CoVid at this point remains unclear, and may be different in different people. Possibilities include ongoing viral activity associated with an intra-host viral reservoir, autoimmune or dysregulated inflammatory state, microvascular dysfunction, organ damage from the original infection, or other as yet undiscovered mechanisms.

I don’t need a prickling discharge of ions on the back on my neck to remind me that things are OFF in capital letters, to actually feel the urgent, palpable yet inconclusive tinge of peril we now face in the world, an apocryphal yet not dubious menu on display. A filling station of gloom available with the click of a mouse.

There is a tempest abrewing! The Singularity refers to the point at which machines’ intelligence and humans will merge, all optimized through ongoing developments in genomics, nanotechnology and robotics. Emergence is specialized lingo for when an AI system shows unpredictable or unintended capabilities. 

I surround myself in general with kind, intelligent, open people, most of whom like me seem at a loss as to how to respond effectively to the policies of the new administration. We can and do “keep lighting up our little corner of the world,” yet there is a nagging sense of tension, anxiety, a call for more significant action than the same old same old.

This time of year marks the 5 year anniversary of the onslaught of the worst pandemic in modern times. The beginning of April 2020 was the peak of lockdowns, with a guesstimate of 4.4 billion people – 57% of the planet – having some movement restriction. I explore some of what we learned during this "Anthropause" and what our habenula might contribute to the inquiry.

While most violence occurs between people who know each other, there is something to be said about mitigating stranger danger. Yes, women are more likely to be assaulted in the home or someplace familiar to them, but abduction by predatory rapists does occur. So it seems worthwhile to review some ideas to stay safe.

When feeling discombobulated, a key principle to stay sane during these turbulent times is to stop arguing with reality, a laudable intention. Think new thoughts, fresh, innovative previously unthought, or at least a good one repackaged into this worthy moment, devoid of any smidge of sophistry.

My dad always used to say I’m not complaining, just explaining, but here I am talking about developing a conscious process for whine o’clock to lighten the load in ways that are not destructive to myself or others.

Unlikely I will ever be a great writer or a Famoso musical pop star, so why bother? Yes, I do get some joy from the creative process itself, but the motivation to keep honing the craft? Well, I must admit that comes and goes. Psychologists even have a term for our familiar yet elusive sense of dissatisfaction: the hedonic treadmill.

Things are moving quickly, requiring more focused world attention on H5 N1. While a human pandemic is not inevitable, there are a number of milestones that have recently been achieved that suggest it is no longer just a remote possibility.

It is estimated that 55 million people worldwide have dementia, and according to the CDC, 1 in 9 Americans over age 65 has it. I discuss some really amazing progress that is being made.

I am always amazed at the layers that peel off when I do a vacation—that is to say, vacate my normal life and shift gears to a different pace and reality. It is quite surprising when I observe and discover that in fact I have been in a certain amount of denial about what I have been carrying on my shoulders. 

The AI robotic interplay is currently highly focused on the push to develop spatial intelligence—the ability for machines to correctly interpret and successfully interact with the everyday world. Virtual worlds with virtual robots allow for quicker and inexpensive trial and error training. Incredible implications for all of us!

Welcome to the Cosmic blast diner, where economic collapse, ecological meltdown, or your choice of a variety of complex upheavels or apocalyptic catastrophes are on the menu, with uncertainty and disturbance as appetizers.

Link mentioned in the podcast:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-r2q31xb7hA

I have some salient suggestions for the coming year, as a new beginning awaits us in just a few days as we enter 2025 full of HOPES: homage, oasis, perseverance, exultation and schmick.

Link mentioned in the podcast to UNM Med School commencement: https://myheartsongs.org/press-and-media/

The spiritual journey takes one down a rabbit hole of mysterious occurrences and unknown destinations, a quest initiated by the big what’s it all about Alfie questions, married to an unwillingness to blindly accept the cookie cutter explanations of the powers that be. Primatologist short video mentioned in the podcast:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=meiU6TxysCg