{"id":56687,"date":"2025-09-09T06:37:25","date_gmt":"2025-09-09T11:37:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/?p=56687"},"modified":"2025-09-09T06:55:03","modified_gmt":"2025-09-09T11:55:03","slug":"billion-year-old-carbon-part-1","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/?p=56687","title":{"rendered":"Billion Year Old Carbon (part 1)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-media-text is-stacked-on-mobile\"><figure class=\"wp-block-media-text__media\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"512\" height=\"768\" src=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/download-26.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-56689 size-full\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/download-26.jpg 512w, https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/download-26-200x300.jpg 200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px\" \/><\/figure><div class=\"wp-block-media-text__content\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Elder JimZim<\/strong> has asked a profound question: <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph\"><em>What are we?<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">His curiosity was peaked by this Joni Mitchell song&#8230;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<pre class=\"wp-block-verse\">We are stardust<br>We are golden<br>And we've got to get ourselves<br>Back to the garden<br><br>We are stardust<br>Billion year old carbon<br>We are golden<br>Caught in the devil's bargain<br>And we've got to get ourselves<br>Back to the garden<br><br>- Woodstock, by Joni Mitchell<\/pre>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>WLBOTT wondered<\/strong> &#8211; we&#8217;re mostly water; is the hydrogen in our bodies actually from the moment of creation, the <strong><em>Big Bang<\/em><\/strong>?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Elder G<\/strong> helps us with our wonder:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Hydrogen and the Big Bang<\/h5>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"\"><strong>Hydrogen atoms are primordial.<\/strong> Nearly all of the hydrogen in your body (and in the oceans, clouds, and stars) was forged during the <strong>Big Bang nucleosynthesis<\/strong> about 13.8 billion years ago.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"\">In those first minutes, the universe cooled just enough for protons and neutrons to combine into the lightest nuclei \u2014 mostly hydrogen (about 75% of the baryonic matter), with some helium (~25%) and a trace of lithium.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"\">That hydrogen has never been \u201cre-forged\u201d in stars; it\u2019s the same stuff, still going strong in your glass of water or your bloodstream.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\">A Fun Thought<\/h5>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When you sip water, the hydrogen in those H\u2082O molecules is older than any star, older than galaxies, older even than Earth itself. You\u2019re literally drinking the most ancient matter in the universe. The oxygen, on the other hand, is a different story \u2014 it comes from stars.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">WLBOTT Dept. of Pendantatry<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We love Joni Mitchell, her music, her poetic lyrics. But unfortunately, the <strong>WLBOTT DoP<\/strong> is not so easily swayed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-1 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/DoP_0027.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"1024\" data-id=\"56693\" src=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/DoP_0027.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-56693\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/DoP_0027.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/DoP_0027-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/DoP_0027-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/DoP_0027-768x768.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>WLBOTT Department of Pedantry (DoP)<\/strong> &#8211; the bureaucratic dumping ground for every insufferable nitpicker and hyper-correcting manager.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Their most recent press release:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>You are wrong, Joni, you are wrong!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Instead of<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph\"><em>We are stardust<\/em><br><em>Billion year old carbon<\/em><br><em>We are golden<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Your lyrics should have said&#8230;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph\"><em>We are stardust<\/em><br><em>Multi-billion-year-old carbon (carbon-12 (\u00b9\u00b2C), carbon-13 (\u00b9\u00b3C 1.1%), and carbon-14 (\u00b9\u2074C)), stellar-forged carbon recycled through supernovae<\/em><br><em>We are golden (trace amounts only)<\/em><\/p>\n<cite>WLBOTT DoP<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Let&#8217;s define our terms&#8230;.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-media-text has-media-on-the-right is-stacked-on-mobile\"><div class=\"wp-block-media-text__content\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A pedantic person is someone who is overly focused on minor details, rules, or trivial facts, often correcting others or displaying their learning in an annoying or ostentatious way. They show excessive concern for formalities and details, to the point of being <strong>tedious<\/strong> or <strong>nitpicking<\/strong>, and their behavior is typically seen as <strong>irritating<\/strong> and <strong>condescending<\/strong> rather than helpful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&#8211; Gemini<\/p>\n<\/div><figure class=\"wp-block-media-text__media\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"683\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/DoP_0013.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-56695 size-full\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/DoP_0013.jpg 683w, https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/DoP_0013-200x300.jpg 200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 683px) 100vw, 683px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">WLBOTT DoP is Hiring!<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Unable to get hired by ICE? Enjoy arguing with strangers since the dial-up days? Can you not rest if someone is <em><u><strong>factually incorrect<\/strong><\/u><\/em>? <em>Are you okay with dying alone?<\/em> You may be <strong>DoP<\/strong> material!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-2 is-cropped wp-block-gallery-2 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/DoP_0004.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"683\" height=\"1024\" data-id=\"56698\" src=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/DoP_0004.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-56698\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/DoP_0004.jpg 683w, https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/DoP_0004-200x300.jpg 200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 683px) 100vw, 683px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/DoP_0002.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"683\" height=\"1024\" data-id=\"56699\" src=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/DoP_0002.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-56699\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/DoP_0002.jpg 683w, https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/DoP_0002-200x300.jpg 200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 683px) 100vw, 683px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/DoP_0003.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"1024\" data-id=\"56700\" src=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/DoP_0003.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-56700\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/DoP_0003.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/DoP_0003-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/DoP_0003-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/DoP_0003-768x768.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Our college recruiting posters&#8230;.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-3 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/download-9913.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"512\" height=\"768\" data-id=\"56702\" src=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/download-9913.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-56702\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/download-9913.jpg 512w, https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/download-9913-200x300.jpg 200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/DoP_0008.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"683\" height=\"1024\" data-id=\"56705\" src=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/DoP_0008.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-56705\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/DoP_0008.jpg 683w, https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/DoP_0008-200x300.jpg 200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 683px) 100vw, 683px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/DoP_0012.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"683\" height=\"1024\" data-id=\"56704\" src=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/DoP_0012.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-56704\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/DoP_0012.jpg 683w, https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/DoP_0012-200x300.jpg 200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 683px) 100vw, 683px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/DoP_0011.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"683\" height=\"1024\" data-id=\"56703\" src=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/DoP_0011.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-56703\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/DoP_0011.jpg 683w, https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/DoP_0011-200x300.jpg 200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 683px) 100vw, 683px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/DoP_0018.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"683\" height=\"1024\" data-id=\"56706\" src=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/DoP_0018.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-56706\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/DoP_0018.jpg 683w, https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/DoP_0018-200x300.jpg 200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 683px) 100vw, 683px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Mostly Unrelated, Somewhat Sad, but Very Cool<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">An excellent use of billion year old carbon, oxygen, and Big Bang hydrogen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-4 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"547\" data-id=\"56708\" src=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/irl_250908_0082-1024x547.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-56708\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/irl_250908_0082-1024x547.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/irl_250908_0082-300x160.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/irl_250908_0082-768x410.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/irl_250908_0082-1536x820.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/irl_250908_0082-1200x641.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/irl_250908_0082.jpg 1579w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-5 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/4_31b60a98-ce8f-4be7-8fc4-133e8b70ca84.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"800\" data-id=\"56710\" src=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/4_31b60a98-ce8f-4be7-8fc4-133e8b70ca84.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-56710\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/4_31b60a98-ce8f-4be7-8fc4-133e8b70ca84.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/4_31b60a98-ce8f-4be7-8fc4-133e8b70ca84-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/4_31b60a98-ce8f-4be7-8fc4-133e8b70ca84-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/4_31b60a98-ce8f-4be7-8fc4-133e8b70ca84-768x768.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/3_9333465e-d2d2-4333-ae91-31ad8ae194cb.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"800\" data-id=\"56711\" src=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/3_9333465e-d2d2-4333-ae91-31ad8ae194cb.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-56711\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/3_9333465e-d2d2-4333-ae91-31ad8ae194cb.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/3_9333465e-d2d2-4333-ae91-31ad8ae194cb-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/3_9333465e-d2d2-4333-ae91-31ad8ae194cb-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/3_9333465e-d2d2-4333-ae91-31ad8ae194cb-768x768.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/5_520c777c-69be-4711-aa1a-8eadf9837deb.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"800\" data-id=\"56709\" src=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/5_520c777c-69be-4711-aa1a-8eadf9837deb.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-56709\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/5_520c777c-69be-4711-aa1a-8eadf9837deb.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/5_520c777c-69be-4711-aa1a-8eadf9837deb-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/5_520c777c-69be-4711-aa1a-8eadf9837deb-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/5_520c777c-69be-4711-aa1a-8eadf9837deb-768x768.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/2_c6174038-4b58-44b7-ae73-8be5890f3b77.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"800\" data-id=\"56713\" src=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/2_c6174038-4b58-44b7-ae73-8be5890f3b77.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-56713\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/2_c6174038-4b58-44b7-ae73-8be5890f3b77.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/2_c6174038-4b58-44b7-ae73-8be5890f3b77-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/2_c6174038-4b58-44b7-ae73-8be5890f3b77-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/2_c6174038-4b58-44b7-ae73-8be5890f3b77-768x768.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/6.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"800\" data-id=\"56712\" src=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/6.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-56712\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/6.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/6-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/6-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/6-768x768.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Sad Part<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-6 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/irl_250908_0085.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"618\" height=\"558\" data-id=\"56714\" src=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/irl_250908_0085.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-56714\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/irl_250908_0085.jpg 618w, https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/irl_250908_0085-300x271.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 618px) 100vw, 618px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But Sally T. Intern is monitoring the situation:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-7 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/irl_250908_0088.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1029\" height=\"552\" data-id=\"56716\" src=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/irl_250908_0088.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-56716\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/irl_250908_0088.jpg 1029w, https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/irl_250908_0088-300x161.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/irl_250908_0088-1024x549.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/irl_250908_0088-768x412.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1029px) 100vw, 1029px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Let&#8217;s end with some beauty &#8211;<strong> JimZim&#8217;s<\/strong> question has sparked some beautiful images by <strong>Elder G<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-8 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/UCxKtcamqyMlVW0vkclQ-0-2qb4g.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1280\" height=\"720\" data-id=\"56718\" src=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/UCxKtcamqyMlVW0vkclQ-0-2qb4g.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-56718\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/UCxKtcamqyMlVW0vkclQ-0-2qb4g.jpg 1280w, https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/UCxKtcamqyMlVW0vkclQ-0-2qb4g-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/UCxKtcamqyMlVW0vkclQ-0-2qb4g-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/UCxKtcamqyMlVW0vkclQ-0-2qb4g-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/UCxKtcamqyMlVW0vkclQ-0-2qb4g-1200x675.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1280px) 100vw, 1280px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<pre class=\"wp-block-verse has-text-align-center\">We are stardust<br>We are golden<br>And we've got to get ourselves<br>Back to the garden<\/pre>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-2 is-cropped wp-block-gallery-9 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"512\" height=\"768\" data-id=\"56726\" src=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/download-32.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-56726\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/download-32.jpg 512w, https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/download-32-200x300.jpg 200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"512\" height=\"768\" data-id=\"56721\" src=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/download-35.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-56721\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/download-35.jpg 512w, https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/download-35-200x300.jpg 200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"512\" height=\"768\" data-id=\"56727\" src=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/download-36.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-56727\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/download-36.jpg 512w, https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/download-36-200x300.jpg 200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"512\" height=\"768\" data-id=\"56725\" src=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/download-34.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-56725\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/download-34.jpg 512w, https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/download-34-200x300.jpg 200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"512\" height=\"768\" data-id=\"56720\" src=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/download-37.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-56720\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/download-37.jpg 512w, https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/download-37-200x300.jpg 200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"512\" height=\"768\" data-id=\"56722\" src=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/download-31.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-56722\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/download-31.jpg 512w, https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/download-31-200x300.jpg 200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"512\" height=\"768\" data-id=\"56724\" src=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/download-24.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-56724\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/download-24.jpg 512w, https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/download-24-200x300.jpg 200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"512\" height=\"768\" data-id=\"56723\" src=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/download-27.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-56723\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/download-27.jpg 512w, https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/download-27-200x300.jpg 200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"1536\" data-id=\"56728\" src=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/20250908_1805_Stardust-Dreamscape_simple_compose_01k4ns5cqefxst1ge70xn9f0jr.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-56728\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/20250908_1805_Stardust-Dreamscape_simple_compose_01k4ns5cqefxst1ge70xn9f0jr.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/20250908_1805_Stardust-Dreamscape_simple_compose_01k4ns5cqefxst1ge70xn9f0jr-200x300.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/20250908_1805_Stardust-Dreamscape_simple_compose_01k4ns5cqefxst1ge70xn9f0jr-683x1024.jpg 683w, https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/20250908_1805_Stardust-Dreamscape_simple_compose_01k4ns5cqefxst1ge70xn9f0jr-768x1152.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Elder JimZim has asked a profound question: What are we? His curiosity was peaked by this Joni Mitchell song&#8230; We are stardustWe are goldenAnd we&#8217;ve got to get ourselvesBack to the gardenWe are stardustBillion year old carbonWe are goldenCaught in the devil&#8217;s bargainAnd we&#8217;ve got to get ourselvesBack to the garden- Woodstock, by Joni Mitchell [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[15,40],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-56687","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-existential-angst","category-meaning-of-life"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/56687","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=56687"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/56687\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":56730,"href":"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/56687\/revisions\/56730"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=56687"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=56687"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=56687"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}