All things are Relative, Einstein said. Yet there are also some things that are absolute. Like for example the speed of light : Absolute even though 2 different observers travelling at different speeds in different directions SHOULD measure the speed of light at different velocity. Yet that speed is absolute. Its one hell of a quote but its only one of the few that comes from the book "The Physics of Star Trek" by Laurence H Krauss that I listened to over the weekend. Having worked my way through the audio version of " a brief history of Time " by Steven Hawking a few weeks ago, I kinda had the whole thing about relativity and quantum mechanics down (to a level where I could KINDA comprehend what it all meant) but it was still a great book to listen to. I do say "Listen To" for listening to podcasts and audiobooks is my favourite way of consuming content and learning new things. And during the weekend I had time to do this because we have been busy painting the attic.
Relative Relaxation.
The strange part is that, "phisical labour’ (painting the ceiling etc) to me is a very relaxing experience. Where others might want to lounge out on the couch to catch some R&R , I cant think of a better way of chilling out, then by doing some repetitive physical task that lets me "put the mind to rest". And thats how I spent most of my Saturday. Painting the ceiling, removing dabs of spilled paint from the wooden floor, applying masking tape etc .. All in perfect solitude. Nyana was out with her sister and I had the whole house to mysellf. Popped the Ipod into its speaker cradle and away we went. Listening to the audiobooks, munching my way through the last Q&A of Security now, and of course completely chilling out while listening to Spacemusic (a fan-tas-tic podcast by TC from Rotterdam) .
At the end of the weekend, the room was ready , (i’ll post some pictures soon) It might have been hard different but for me it had been a very relaxing time. So the speed of relaxation is relative after all. A few days away from the interactive keyboard, just consuming some information , wonderfull music and focussing my attention on that next little spec of white paint on the floor .. Completely blanking out the mind. Letting my imagination wonder off , uninterrupted by the next Twitter message or incoming Email. A relative state