MMTT4S - Seven Sisters

Captain's Log: 17 July 2019, Earth...still

I'm a hopeless dreamer. Because of that I also tend to be a closet conspiracy theorist, a believer in UFO's, a dragonfly whisperer, wielder of the Force (doesn't always work), inner Walter Mitty channeler, and viewer of the History Channel's show Ancient Aliens. 

Image courtesy of starwars.com

I believe that we simply cannot explain everything. I think we are beings that must rely on belief and faith to not only to have a meaningful existence here on Earth, but to make it through our existence here as well. We learn new things every day. That should be a priority for us as a people and also for each of us individually. 

I believe we will make contact with aliens from another planet one day.

That is, if we haven't already done so. That's an interesting topic for a much lengthier conversation, though.

Image courtesy of
Amazon.com

Today's tune is the second in a series to help us celebrate our "one giant leap for mankind" as Neal Armstrong put it so perfectly. In the song, Jimmy brings in a character from one of his best-selling novels Where is Joe Merchant.  In his tale, Buffett introduces us to Desdemona, who believes she can communicate with aliens and, in an effort to reach the Pleiades constellation,  she attempts to build a rocket ship, which doubles as a bakery while "under construction." The song "Desdemona's Building a Rocket Ship" comes directly from the story. It has a catchy bridge that mentions the Pleiades. 

Image of the Pleiades Constellation
courtesy of earthsky.org

From Greek mythology, the Pleiades were the seven daughters of Atlas, a Titan. Zeus turned the sisters into a cluster of stars because Orion the hunter pursued them so heavily. Orion, then became a constellation to continue his pursuit of the sisters, which he continues to do every night in the darkened heavens. 

Myths were a way to explain the unknown universe. Science has helped us discover actuality, but there are still plenty of inexplicable events that science has thus far been unable to clarify. So, even though we know that the Pleiades are stars and not sisters, could they be calling to the Desdemonas out there? Maybe.

Is there life out there? Are there aliens? I kinda hope so. It would seem to be such a waste of space otherwise. If we ever do encounter them (unless we, of course, have not already), I hope the meeting is a positive one. We have enough complications with our own species to add another problematic one. I like the portrayal in the movie Contact. Then again, Don Henley claims that aliens are "not here" and "they're not coming...not in a million years," in his song "They're Not Here...They're Not Coming." He argues that we really don't offer much of an incentive ("McNuggets?"). Could be. 

In any case, fifty years ago when we took that giant leap, we may have also taken a baby step in reaching out to some cosmic neighbor from light years away. So, enjoy today's tune, it can be found on Jimmy's Banana Wind CD,  and continue your celebration of Apollo 11's successful mission to the Moon. 

Info book from Banana Wind CD

Adios, amigos! Earth out.