Hello, fellow node*!
Thanks for visiting! I’m Netta, the person behind this book. Why does this topic matter so much to me? Because I’ve seen how a shift in perspective can light up a person’s world. In my work with community engagement, I've watched people find meaning in connecting with each other. I hope to build something similar around making sense of the Universe.
A teeny tiny bit about me (because, like everyone else, I'm not at the center of this story).
I’ve felt something – call it intuition, call it spirit – that made me suspect there’s more to our existence than meets the eye. This book grew from that suspicion and that hope: that by looking at life a little differently, we might find new depth in it.
I have a practical side that comes from working with nonprofits and universities, solving problems for people. I believe in listening, empathy, and rolling up my sleeves to make things better in any small way I can. But I also have a wide-eyed, imaginative side – the part of me that’s fascinated by consciousness, that devours science fiction and philosophy, and that can’t help but wonder if the stars have something to say.
A few fun facts that might tell you more about me than any resume could: I have a deep love for bees – those beautiful, buzzing little insects. They teach me about community, sweetness, and the importance of each tiny creature in the big ecosystem. I often find solace in the soft glow of candles, whether I’m meditating, writing in my journal, or curled up with a book on a rainy evening. And I’m unabashedly a fan of horror films. The moodier and spookier, the better. Horror stories remind me that exploring the unknown (and facing your fears) can be thrilling and revealing. These are the things that keep me grounded, curious, and human. They remind me that light and dark, science and story, the ordinary and the cosmic, all dance together in this experience we call life. This game is fucking wild.
We all live in the Universe... shouldn’t we all get to learn about it? You shouldn’t need a physics degree or a stack of philosophy books. If more of us had the space and language to think beyond just what's happening on Earth’s surface, I honestly believe we’d live in a different kind of society. A more thoughtful one. A more compassionate one. When we zoom out together and think in cosmic terms, something shifts for the better. That’s the world I want to help build. This book is one small offering toward that.
Writing Your Existence Is the Universe Trying to Get Its Shit Together has been one of the most humbling and exciting adventures of my life. It’s the product of countless conversations (with friends, strangers, and sometimes with my own doubts), and a lot of heart. My life has shown me again and again that connection is everything. Connection between people, between ideas, between us and this Universe around us. I don’t have all the answers (not even close!), but I have an open heart and an insatiable drive to learn. If you’re reading this, I suspect you might share that. I like to think we’re fellow travelers, nodes in the same mysterious network, each trying to make a little sense of the wonder and chaos around us. I’m honored to meet you, and I can’t wait to hear what you think as this journey unfolds.
- Netta
* We explore this concept in greater detail in the book, but a node is a point of consciousness where a soul-thread connects to a specific time, place, and body. It's like a socket in the Universe; a temporary plug-in point where experience can happen. Each human life is a node: a unique combination of soul-thread, wetware, and environment that allows the Universe to learn through lived experience. Nodes are nested within larger systems - families, cultures, planets, galaxies - each part shaping and being shaped by the others.