Blood on my Hands

Let me preface this by stating that I don't injure myself too often.

But the date was sunday. The place was the Shooting Gallery in the middle of Houston, TX.

The Gun was a 30-30. The target was 100 yrds away. I always shoot out of my left eye (to aim), but for some reason, my friend told me to try and use my right eye. I tried, but it felt akward, which became confirmed when I pulled the trigger. I set the gun down, and felt something odd... On my face. I looked down at my hand and saw blood pouring down on it. I realized that blood was pouring down my face. The gun moved back about 1 inch due to the recoil, and apparently my face was 3/4 of an inch away from the scope. The power of the shot moved the scope into the physical area of space and time where my face was. The metal scope won.

This was an increadable experience for me, and really got me thinking.

First, I didn't feel any pain at the time. The adrenaline pumping through my body from firing the gun made it painless (until it wore off, then holy shit did it hurt). Second, I really started thinking about the universe. Fate. God. You can believe in Karma, or fate, or the divine, but there is something almost religious (I guess I'm starting to chalk myself up as religious atheist, instead of my usual agnostic-ism) about the concept of space and time. Its something we don't think about unless the "rules" of our human universe are shaken.

Perfect example is this injury. Humans consider the body a single entity within the confines of our brain. When we catch a football, there is a clear distinction that the human stops and the football starts. But when something violates this "unity" of the body as a single entity and concept, this made me start to wonder. Think of it this way. Why did I bleed? Why did my skin open up and let my blood pour forth? My forehead occupied a region within space and time. The scope of the gun also occupied a region within space and time. When non-normal things happened, the two things that the human brain considers separate entities (gun/body) occupied the same coordinates in space and time. Its zeno's paradox* (see footnote). As the gun moves into the region of space and time that my forehead was occupying, trillions of interactions at the molecular level are happening, my softer skin cells are pushed aside by the metal alloy scope. The end result is a gash in my forehead, but why? It demonstrated to me the frailty of occupying a space and time within the universe.

The best way to think about this is to close your eyes. This gets rid of your minds "perception" to place objects in an organizable pattern within your brain. Imagine a system of coordinates around you that starts near your closed eyes and stretches out for the rest of the universe. Everything around you is occupying a space in this coordinate system. Move your hand around until it hits something that is occupying a space in time near where you are trying to move your hand. Maybe I will never be able to communicate this feeling, or understanding. But its cool. Another great example is you driving in a car. What happens if when your driving down the highway you just drift into the the railing (not a suicidal jump, jeeze). It'll scratch your car up. Is that fate? Choice? Or does it just so happen that your car is trying to occupy a place in space and time that that railing is currently occupying?

Third, seeing your own blood on your hands is rather amazing. Its so unexpected, that processes that normally your body doesn't go through, it starts. First, I remember that moment very very clearly (thanks amygdala), and your body starts going into the "healing process". Seeing your own blood triggers this amazing response. Adrenaline. Clotting (unless you're mitchy my hemophiliac friend). Your brain instantly calculates the best course of action (go to the bathroom). Do you act panicked? Smooth? Calm? Angry? Anyone who has been there will understand.

One more thing I'll note, its healing up really nicely. I didn't get stitches, but the human body is pretty freeken awesome, and reconnected itself nicely. I don't think it'll scar. Which is good.

Thanks,

Guthrie

* Zeno's paradox is the thought experiment that goes as follows. Shoot a bullet at a wall. Lets say it takes 1/10th of a second to hit the wall. That means that after 1/20th of a second it is exactly halfway between the gun, and the wall. At 1/15th of a second the bullet is 3/4 of the way to the wall. At 1/11th of a second, the bullet has almost hit the wall. And at 1/10.22 of a second it is even closer... what happens at 1/10.0000000000001 of a second? Is there ever a moment in time where the the wall and bullet occupy the same place in space and time? If you keep cutting that number in time, the bullet never actually hits the wall, yet at some point in time, it hits.

Another good example is the ocean and the beach. How do you know where the shoreline starts and the water ends? Well... take a foot of water, and a foot of beach, and bisect it. Then take that new 1' section and bisect that... and then take that 6" section and bisect it. Is there ever a place where the ocean actually ends, and the shore starts, or can one keep make a division until the subatomic level?