Category Archives: Stories

The Village Sun profiled me and the Spodek Method

on July 10, 2024 in Stories

The Village Sun profiled me after seeing me charging my battery with solar panels a few months ago. The reporter, Otto Fritton, spent time talking and learning what I’m up to. I’m not doing it for myself or for pipe dreams. Check out the story: The Spodek Method: Saving the planet and ourselves by not harming others. It begins: Often humans struggle to understand their impact upon a larger humanity,[…] Keep reading →

Volunteering: I just helped deliver a mammoth summer load of vegetables to the community fridge

on July 2, 2024 in Habits, Stories

The community fridge where I volunteer by bringing food (and doof, sadly) stores would otherwise through away for anyone to take recently coordinated a deal with the Union Square farmers market to pick up what vendors don’t sell. Half a dozen of us picked up and delivered our first load. Several of us made two trips. It was the most volume and I’d say highest quality of any load I[…] Keep reading →

Why many litterers are entitled and one way the most entitled justify littering

on June 14, 2024 in Stories

The other day I was picking up litter in Washington Square Park, not making a big deal about it. I just do it as a matter of course. Something happened that often does: people got annoyed at me. The details aren’t important, but they rudely approached and got angry at me. The interaction with me isn’t the point. Something they said, that many people say, is. They said, “there are[…] Keep reading →

A Triply Awesome Weekend

on June 4, 2024 in Art, Relationships, Stories

I don’t usually just talk about what I did, but sometimes things work out enough and I feel great about how major life choices I’ve made work out. Last Saturday, Sunday, and Monday were great times. I’ll share Monday first since it’s not visual so might get lost following the other two. Monday: Einstein and Nobel Prize winners Monday I met with a physics professor who mentored me in college[…] Keep reading →

The challenges of trying to act sustainably in a culture that doesn’t value sustainability never end

on May 31, 2024 in Leadership, Stories

I’ve written about how the construction my building is doing means no roof access for likely over six months: I’ve been trying to find other rooftops I can use so I don’t have to carry the equipment so far, risking bumps or drops. I can’t leave the panels unwatched to go to the bathroom or work elsewhere when it gets hot. So far I’ve asked the following, politely, offering to[…] Keep reading →

How Profit First is helping my friend run his business

on May 27, 2024 in Entrepreneurship, Stories

A friend who runs a business found the book Profit First by the guest of my podcast Mike Michalowicz. He shared in a private forum how much it helped him. Mike and I email, so I shared with him my friend’s post on how much his book was helping him, taking out the personal details. Mike loved learning he helped an entrepreneur, so I’m glad I emailed him. Recently I[…] Keep reading →

Year 2, day 365 of my apartment disconnected from the electric grid

on May 23, 2024 in Freedom, Leadership, Stories

On May 24, 2022, I opened the main circuit to the electric grid, disconnecting my apartment from it. Two days before I had unplugged my appliances but noticed the outlets next to sinks have LEDs to show they’re safe. Despite what part-time vegetarians say, I don’t believe that not zero is zero, so to consume zero power, including those LEDs, I disconnected the whole apartment. My goal was not using[…] Keep reading →

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