Appreciation for any and all beauty holds a special place in my heart; in fact, I would say that the wondrous nature of life and the recognition of excellence in the world around me are some of my biggest reasons for living. Number 1: It blows my mind to think about the beauty which can be seen in so many scales and situations in our universe. Think about: The stars on a cool dark night: the galaxies and solar systems thousands of light years from our tiny planet. Our own solar system: huge balls of rock and gas flying in perfectly elliptical orbits around an unimaginably massive ball of fusing hydrogen. Our planet: crystal blue seas of liquid water, ice caps, a blanket of gas, mountains, plains, rivers, rain, snow, wind. Earth's geology: thousands of different rocks, crystals, precious gems, oil, methane, canyons, volcanos, tectonic plates. Earth's life: trees, flowers, grass, fish, birds, cats, dogs, lions, wolves, bears, sheep, cattle, horses, pigs, butterflies, tigers, deer, rabbits, and people. All of these things, as well as millions more that I haven't listed which can be contemplated with our senses, are interesting, wonderful, and beautiful. Number 2: Not only can beauty be perceived in physical objects, but also there are many more abstract things which appeal to the mind and senses. Consider: Music: in song, melody, and harmony, or more abstractly, like the low rumbling purr of a finely tuned race car at idle. Physics and math: the logical perfection of mathematics and its intimate relationship with the apparent laws of the physical universe, which allow us to harness nature for our benefit. The scientific process: executing an algorithm in a series of pre-defined steps of experimentation and analysis to discover the truth. Program code: written, ordered, commands to instruct an unfailing, unimaginably fast calculating engine to accomplish a task. Love: The beautiful, brave, contradiction of one individual human person who chooses to sacrifice and give for the sake of another. I believe that all things which are beautiful in this sense draw me in, motivating me for further study and contemplation. If one wants to understand the meaning of life and the nature of reality, it is necessary to collect all of the information possible, to allow for the most thorough analysis and true conclusions. For this reason, I constantly explore myriad disciplines that truly fascinate me, which helps to make life a more fun and rewarding adventure.