Wednesday
7/06 /04
Oooooh. Ahhhhh.
It seems that I've always been a big fan of neurotransmitters. Well, mostly beta-endorphins, but you get the idea. It’s funny though, I used to think that I was a big fan of fireworks, epic musical scores by James Newton Howard, Springsteen concerts and going to the beach to face an incoming Nor’easter.
Much to my surprise, however, it turns out that all this time it’s not really any of those things or the traditional fourth of July pyrotechnics I enjoy as much as the intense stimulation that results in a euphoric rush of endorphins that flood my brain. Who knew?
Well, TV knew, and told me so on a pretty cool Discovery Channel show all about fireworks and brain chemistry. In it they attach a presumably willing volunteer to some sort of electronic neurotransmitter sensor thingy. I think the scientific term was Big Colorful Brain Display Gizmo. Anyway, then the heavily wired volunteer watched a fireworks display while smart looking brain-scientist people monitored a computer screen that displays a real time picture of what volunteer guy’s brain is doing.
No kidding, it was actually pretty cool watching this guy’s brain chemistry change as the fireworks really got going, and by the finale his brain was lit up like a Christmas tree.
In any case, this year I finally remembered to bring the camera and tripod to record the holiday; and by the end of the day the lads and I and some friends and family once again made it to the Pearl River fireworks show where we all got a well-deserved endorphin rush. Oooooh indeed.
Oooooh. Ahhhhh.
It seems that I've always been a big fan of neurotransmitters. Well, mostly beta-endorphins, but you get the idea. It’s funny though, I used to think that I was a big fan of fireworks, epic musical scores by James Newton Howard, Springsteen concerts and going to the beach to face an incoming Nor’easter.
Much to my surprise, however, it turns out that all this time it’s not really any of those things or the traditional fourth of July pyrotechnics I enjoy as much as the intense stimulation that results in a euphoric rush of endorphins that flood my brain. Who knew?
Well, TV knew, and told me so on a pretty cool Discovery Channel show all about fireworks and brain chemistry. In it they attach a presumably willing volunteer to some sort of electronic neurotransmitter sensor thingy. I think the scientific term was Big Colorful Brain Display Gizmo. Anyway, then the heavily wired volunteer watched a fireworks display while smart looking brain-scientist people monitored a computer screen that displays a real time picture of what volunteer guy’s brain is doing.
No kidding, it was actually pretty cool watching this guy’s brain chemistry change as the fireworks really got going, and by the finale his brain was lit up like a Christmas tree.
In any case, this year I finally remembered to bring the camera and tripod to record the holiday; and by the end of the day the lads and I and some friends and family once again made it to the Pearl River fireworks show where we all got a well-deserved endorphin rush. Oooooh indeed.
