I recently finished Bruce Springsteen’s memoir Born to Run. Below is what resonated with me and motivated me most: Bruce Springsteen wrote in his memoir Born to Run about discovering the guitar growing up in a working-class New Jersey neighborhood. The day after seeing Elvis on the Ed Sullivan Show, “I convinced my mom to take me to Diehl’s Music on South Street in Freehold. There, with no money to[…] Keep reading →

Sunday was the first sunny and warm day of the year, reaching nearly 70 degrees (21C). That’s unseasonably warm for the beginning of March, but only compared to the past. Compared to future Marches, it’s cool. I spent the morning on the roof, charging the battery. I knew I wanted to head to the park, but feared what I knew I’d see: piles of garbage. People don’t just go to[…] Keep reading →

The final tally for running on empty: Days in a row of rain to mostly cloudy: 12 days (January 22 to February 2) Extended streak of days at least mostly cloudy: 23 days / 25 days (January 9 – February 2) Nearly every day it didn’t outright rain, I climbed to the roof twice to catch what power I could. Many days I got zero. Some days I got enough[…] Keep reading →

I watched this week: Pimpernel Smith, directed by, produced by, and starring Leslie Howard: Since learning more about Raoul Wallenberg, I wanted to see this movie that inspired him. I watched it twice. The first time it just seemed dated and I didn’t think much of it. The second time I caught more nuance. The closing speech resonated with my view of dominance hierarchies like our polluting, depleting culture and[…] Keep reading →

I don’t know who is making this graffiti with my name on it, but I’m not complaining about it. I wonder who King Joshua is: Apparently someone else wonders too: I also didn’t color it red, nor remember seeing concrete etchings filled in like that before. Others are keeping it simple, I guess someone born thirty-one years ago. I was in college in 1992. EDIT: Another sighting, this time on[…] Keep reading →

Why people mistakenly think sustainability means deprivation and sacrifice and think not polluting is extreme: I used to party with world famous DJs. Manhattan dance clubs gave me tables and an unlimited guest list back when I made art that a few clubs put in their VIP lounges. Sometimes amid an amazing party, someone would leave early to walk their dog or relieve their baby sitter. From my partying perspective,[…] Keep reading →

I’m going to embarrass myself with this post. So be it. Longtime readers know I didn’t sing growing up beyond Happy Birthday, Take Me Out to the Ball Game, and some drunk karaoke, but as a result of being led through the Spodek Method, started practicing singing. First I sang fifteen minutes a day, turning off all my electronics. Later I started practicing singing exercises. I wrote a couple posts[…] Keep reading →

When I teach my core sustainability leadership practice, the Spodek Method, in classes and corporate workshops, I have participants pair up and practice it with each other. When there is an odd number of participants, one usually pairs with me, leading me to new commitments on my environmental values. At first I worried I’d run out of commitments after reading many ten-little-things-you-can-do-for-the-environment articles that promote the same things. Those CCCSC[…] Keep reading →

Addiction leads you to believe that you’re getting more of the pleasure that the drug or behavior gives you. Gamblers feel like winners, and they do win sometimes, but they lose more overall. Meth users feel like they have more energy, and they do briefly, but they have less energy overall. In short: You tell me what you fear losing, and I’ll tell you what you’ll gain more of when[…] Keep reading →