"If the Eiffel Tower were now representing the world's age, the skin of paint on the pinnacle-knob at its summit would represent man's share of that age; and anybody would perceive that that skin was what the tower was built for. I reckon they would, I dunno." - Mark Twain (1835-1910)
(Marshak, Stephen. Essentials of Geology 2e, p. 283.)

Who reads FORTUNE magazine? I bought a year's subscription for $10 because I'm a student, but I haven't found anything particularly engaging. I much prefer the Wall Street Journal! My mind is much more engaged when I bury my nose in it, because it's not simple. My Intro to Finance class has repeatedly helped me understand at least the basics of what's being reported. Who said school was a waste of time?!!!

Who reads FORTUNE magazine? I bought a year's subscription for $10 because I'm a student, but I haven't found anything particularly engaging. I much prefer the Wall Street Journal! My mind is much more engaged when I bury my nose in it, because it's not simple. My Intro to Finance class has repeatedly helped me understand at least the basics of what's being reported. Who said school was a waste of time?!!!

I loved my Geology class this winter! Rocks are made out of minerals, and minerals are composed of atoms that stick together by chemical bonds. In the minerals chapter, I learned that diamond and graphite are both made purely of carbon atoms. This amazed me! How could two substances with such different characteristics be made of the same element?! The conditions under which both are made is the beginning of the answer.

My mind got to thinking--which can be a very dangerous thing!--and I realized that there is a life lesson in this whole diamond/graphite thing. The process of forming a diamond involves an enormous amount of pressure. There are so many ways in which each of us is put under life's pressures, and our character is tested. The way we endure these tests will determine if our character will be sturdy and beautiful like diamond or weak and unattractive like graphite.