The end of the year is often filled with odd events and so finding myself driving through Virginia in a rental car was not shocking.
In a way, it seemed predictable. A young man that drove once every few months for years finds himself commuting to work everyday. 5 months later, inclement weather hits his hometown while he is away. Flight after flight is canceled. He finds himself faced with the decision to wait another 2 days for a flight or to start driving.
The cliche is ruined when one takes into account the woman by his side. The woman he discusses the situation with. The woman whom will take the later, harder part of the journey. The woman he is happy to call his wife.
No single-handed struggle. No last-ditched effort. Just 2 people making the best out of the situation. The young man knows that together these 2 can accomplish far more. He knows that to attempt this drive alone would be foolhardy and no accolades await him for accomplishing it.
And so he drives into the night... crossing into Maryland before turning over the keys. The woman drives into and across Pennsylvania as he sleeps. She will continue to drive until 5 AM. She will go to work the next day while he calls out. He will be reminded once again which one of them is the strong one.
They will both return to their life. The road is not their way.
He started the journey wishing to return home. But in truth, he was always home. Home has no latitude or longitude. Home is as close or as far as the woman that took the journey with him.
Thursday, December 30, 2010
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
One more step...
I would like to thank his fellow humans for giving me a choice between hydroelectric and wind.
For those of you unfamiliar with energy generation and deregulation, we can choose the organization responsible for our power generation. Power distribution is handled by the local utility (PECO in most cases).
Energy generation is something I have strong opinions on. In the Philadelphia area, 60% of our power is generated via 2 nuclear plants. I consider this the good, clean part. I won't get into that at the moment. The other 40% is generated by dozens if not hundreds of ancient combustors burning coal and other fossil fuels.
But we can choose another way. We can choose to say "less". I am not saying we can choose to say "no more". We can't shut those old coal plants down. Not yet. What we can do is make a choice. We can say that we want something better.
There are some drawbacks. Utilities were regulated for a few reasons. But that discussion is much broader than one blog post. This is about change.
Over the millenia, there have been those who struggled to build a sustainable existence on this planet. There ideas have varied, but the goal has been similar: to reduce the impact we have on our fellow denizens.
We have become quite skilled at modifying our environment.... too skilled. We now have the power to effect global change. We have had the power to make this planet a wasteland in moments for 50 years. Thinking that we can not have the same effect over decades is preposterous.
And so the struggle takes it current form. Trying desperately to live within the limits. It may seem sometimes that the struggle has been in vain, but it is never in vain. Slowly, surely, we are changing the world. The doors are all unlocked now. It is time to force them open.
We have the power of choice. We have the power to decide what we find important. We have the power to put our money where our mouth is. Is the playing field level? No. Do all people have the same choices? No. There is much more work to do. It is not the time to celebrate and congratulate ourselves. It is time to choose.
The elite of the world can purchase new cars. Those cars become used cars. They are recirculated. The elite can encourage the use of renewable resources. The elite can start now so that the choices become open to others.
Some of my peers may not realize it, but I'm not speaking of some old man in a board room when I use the term "elite". If you live in the United States, have health insurance, and have a college education, the rest of the world considers you elite. You may as well consider yourself so. As Harry Chapin said, it is up to us. We are not enslaved. We are those that have to be listened to. We are the power base.
I am not going to claim that I do enough to bring about change. I don't think I ever will. I consider my contributions small and there is much work to do. I cannot claim I am responsible for passing any legislation or changing popular opinion. What I can claim is that when given a choice, I will never pick expedient over right. I will use the power I do have to effect change. I will evaluate things realistically and put cost in perspective.
I will never accept that things are not going to change because, well, you are reading a blog. I'm not sitting at a Gutenberg press. There is no typewriter ribbon. My screen has no cathode ray tube. We live in interesting times. We live in a time of change regardless of whether we desire it or feel that the wrong changes are taking place. We live in a time when I can choose how power is generated.
By the way, I chose wind.
For those of you unfamiliar with energy generation and deregulation, we can choose the organization responsible for our power generation. Power distribution is handled by the local utility (PECO in most cases).
Energy generation is something I have strong opinions on. In the Philadelphia area, 60% of our power is generated via 2 nuclear plants. I consider this the good, clean part. I won't get into that at the moment. The other 40% is generated by dozens if not hundreds of ancient combustors burning coal and other fossil fuels.
But we can choose another way. We can choose to say "less". I am not saying we can choose to say "no more". We can't shut those old coal plants down. Not yet. What we can do is make a choice. We can say that we want something better.
There are some drawbacks. Utilities were regulated for a few reasons. But that discussion is much broader than one blog post. This is about change.
Over the millenia, there have been those who struggled to build a sustainable existence on this planet. There ideas have varied, but the goal has been similar: to reduce the impact we have on our fellow denizens.
We have become quite skilled at modifying our environment.... too skilled. We now have the power to effect global change. We have had the power to make this planet a wasteland in moments for 50 years. Thinking that we can not have the same effect over decades is preposterous.
And so the struggle takes it current form. Trying desperately to live within the limits. It may seem sometimes that the struggle has been in vain, but it is never in vain. Slowly, surely, we are changing the world. The doors are all unlocked now. It is time to force them open.
We have the power of choice. We have the power to decide what we find important. We have the power to put our money where our mouth is. Is the playing field level? No. Do all people have the same choices? No. There is much more work to do. It is not the time to celebrate and congratulate ourselves. It is time to choose.
The elite of the world can purchase new cars. Those cars become used cars. They are recirculated. The elite can encourage the use of renewable resources. The elite can start now so that the choices become open to others.
Some of my peers may not realize it, but I'm not speaking of some old man in a board room when I use the term "elite". If you live in the United States, have health insurance, and have a college education, the rest of the world considers you elite. You may as well consider yourself so. As Harry Chapin said, it is up to us. We are not enslaved. We are those that have to be listened to. We are the power base.
I am not going to claim that I do enough to bring about change. I don't think I ever will. I consider my contributions small and there is much work to do. I cannot claim I am responsible for passing any legislation or changing popular opinion. What I can claim is that when given a choice, I will never pick expedient over right. I will use the power I do have to effect change. I will evaluate things realistically and put cost in perspective.
I will never accept that things are not going to change because, well, you are reading a blog. I'm not sitting at a Gutenberg press. There is no typewriter ribbon. My screen has no cathode ray tube. We live in interesting times. We live in a time of change regardless of whether we desire it or feel that the wrong changes are taking place. We live in a time when I can choose how power is generated.
By the way, I chose wind.
Friday, October 8, 2010
Physical objects...
...have never been a primary concern for me. I work in an ethereal world. I think in abstracts and apply them to situations.
But I am a sensory creature. Sight, sound, touch, smell, taste... to a greater or lesser extent are our only inputs. Regardless of what I may "know", actual sensory input is how animals survived long enough to think.
And so, I held on to some intricately cut pieces of steel yesterday. They were cut to fit into a lock... to open a door.
I am not going to go into the discussion of land ownership. It is enough to say that I have a mortgage. Yet, the deed to a structure in Ambler is being transferred to myself and my wife. The right of transfer is now ours.
My wife... a band of silver around my finger announces to the world that I am committed to someone. Another physical object but far more symbolic. The steel may open doors, but the silver is much more powerful. The sight of it effecting all. The feel of it nearly an embrace.
The meaning of "I" and "mine" has changed. The silver on my left hand linking many of the things I do to another person according to the world at large. My heart linked to another person in everything I do.
The feeling of warmth that suffuses me through that link becomes sensory. It transcends the realm of mind to remind me of the power of sensory input and to remind me that there are things far more powerful.
But I am a sensory creature. Sight, sound, touch, smell, taste... to a greater or lesser extent are our only inputs. Regardless of what I may "know", actual sensory input is how animals survived long enough to think.
And so, I held on to some intricately cut pieces of steel yesterday. They were cut to fit into a lock... to open a door.
I am not going to go into the discussion of land ownership. It is enough to say that I have a mortgage. Yet, the deed to a structure in Ambler is being transferred to myself and my wife. The right of transfer is now ours.
My wife... a band of silver around my finger announces to the world that I am committed to someone. Another physical object but far more symbolic. The steel may open doors, but the silver is much more powerful. The sight of it effecting all. The feel of it nearly an embrace.
The meaning of "I" and "mine" has changed. The silver on my left hand linking many of the things I do to another person according to the world at large. My heart linked to another person in everything I do.
The feeling of warmth that suffuses me through that link becomes sensory. It transcends the realm of mind to remind me of the power of sensory input and to remind me that there are things far more powerful.
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