If you've never heard of TED, it's a small non-profit with the vision of "Ideas Worth Spreading." It includes an educational series that started back in the 80's with the intent to expand discussions within Technology, Entertainment and Design, and has since grown to include other topics. You can see videos of the international discussions here. Over the past year, TED has created TEDx, which is the prefix for community-based conferences.

I didn't know what to expect from the TEDxHouston event. I'd seen videos of the international TED talks, but still had no real concept. I only knew the theme: "Expanding Perceptions." But in all honesty, that lack of information was a good thing; I walked in with no pre-conceived notions.

I notice from reading other blogs on this event that we all came away with a different theme that struck a chord. Is this the law of attraction? Do we all gravitate to the theme we struggle with in life? Or do we recognize the gap that was just brought to light like the black mass in space that's filled with galaxies? Maybe it's a bit of both.

I won't bog down this blog with all my notes from the event, but here are some of the details from certain speakers that struck a chord with me. The theme I noticed was the conflict and impact of certainty vs uncertainty. Uncertainty is messy and can't be put in a box with defined construct, so we shy away from it. We all strive for perfection on some level and decide to apply constructs to uncertainties so we feel less messy. It's the easy way out. That "certainty" may be our undoing.

(Disclaimer: This is paraphrasing from my notes, so please excuse me if I don't get it exact...)

DR. BRENE BROWN - University of Houston

- The more vulnerable we allow ourselves to be, the more connections we have. Connections require risk.

- The one thing that people who feel they're loved and "belong" have is the belief that they deserve it. What these people have in common? Courage, compassion, connection. The courage to be imperfect. The compassion to be kind to themselves, then to others. The connection to others and willingness to let go of who they think they "should" be.

- We make uncertainty certain as a way to discharge pain or discomfort, we strive for perfection.

- We pretend that what we do doesn't impact others.

- What we should be thinking: "I AM ENOUGH"

DAN PHILLIPS - Pheonix Commotion

- Perfection creates waste

- Repetition creates pattern, even with imperfections

DRs. REBECCA RICHARDS-KORTUM and MARIA ODEN - Rice University

- Every year, 9 million children under the age of 5 dies

- 98% of those deaths occur in developing countries

- Rice U. students are developing medical equipment that is inexpensive to manufacture and maintain

MARK JOHNSON - Hometta

- Build a home that will impress your family, not your neighbors

- Large-scale homes going up all across Houston are built with a short lifespan...builders "moving product"

- Older, smaller homes are more sustainable compared to most being built today

DAVID CROSSLEY - Houston Tomorrow

- Downsize and relocalize!

- The way we've been living and expanding is not sustainable

DR. DAVID EAGLEMAN - Neuroscientist and Author

- Consider an exploration of all science and religious narratives

- Tired of the "certainty" of religion

- If scientists don't know what dark matter contains, and 90% of the universe is dark matter, how can we have certainty?

- The three most important words in science: "I don't know"