Tuesday....Ultimate recycling

Today, 18 September, is the second anniversary of my step mother's heart transplant. She has it done in Pittsburgh, and the donor was someone 22 years old from West Virginia. It's been a tough day for me, especially since our expectations were so high. Adri, my step-mom was one of my dearest friends. She survived the transplant, but didn't survive surviving it. Her poor body was so worn out that 5 months later, she watched the Super Bowl and woke up dead the next morning - as my father often says.

I miss her a lot.

Before she had the transplant, I used to joke that if she got a new heart, I'd get the reuse reduce recycle logo (above) tattooed above my heart so everyone would know I'm an organ donor. We used to giggle about it a lot. It just seemed so silly.

Well, I've been thinking about it a lot and missing her a lot too. And it seems like 2 years is about right.

So tonight, I went to Midnight Iguana Tattoo Parlor and got it!!

I'll post pictures another time...

But today, after having a difficult day, I went out to work on the office a little and I was thinking that organ donation is the ultimate in re-use. And it is such an amazing gift to someone.

So as I pounded rebar into the ground to stabilize the piers it just seemed reasonable.

And here's the cinch - I can't swim - my much needed favorite stress relief - for a MONTH. So I've decided to dedicate that time and energy to building the office a few hours every afternoon instead. No, it won't feel as good as doing laps and then soaking in the hot tub, but maybe this is Adri's way to help me get this thing built. The tattoo is in her honor, the office in the honor of the donor. It just feels like the right thing to do.

So folks, Please, if you can, sign an organ donor card, and tell your loved ones your wishes. It really is the ultimate in recycling!! And an amazing gift.

A very deep thank you to the anonymous family who shared a part of their loved one with Adri, to keep her with us, even a little bit longer.

(Yes, okay, I know, no blood donations for a year now, but since I'm in sub-Sahara Africa and the Former Soviet Union, they won't take it now anyway.)

Been on heat-induced Hiatus

Nothing like a good, much needed, well intentioned nudge from my pal Alex over at Shedworking to get things moving again!!

Okay, It's been ridiculously hot here in Georgia the last several weeks.

The temperatures hover around 100 every afternoon, and even with the best laid plans, it's too hot to get much done.

But I have done this...

I have put down the lines for the shed to determine exactly where it needs to go.

I have taken down all of the trees within the space, except one, which I will take down soon. The heat was too much and I knew feeling as tired as I was that I shouldn't try to fell that particular 40+ ft. pine. On the other hand, I have developed a new appreciation of what I like to call "chain saw therapy"!! Of the smaller trees I took down, I've set the larger bits aside, and hope to be able to use them somehow in the process. The branches and leafy bits are being piled in a corner of the yard, and hopefully will make a great little shed for some woodland critter. I'm not planning on making chipmunk condos, but if that's what it becomes, so much the better.

And I've refined the plans again. My structural engineering buddy - a lovely Egyptian fellow, has helped me with the plans posted last time. The footings for the supporting post will need to be deeper in order to provide more structural support.

Since I decided to try to straw bale construction - I've been in discussion with Sue and Seumas, my greenest of green friends with lots of practical know how - I've decided to build up off the ground a bit. The drawings below was concrete slab, but this will be a bit better, and reduce the chance for water damage.

I've also found the name and number of the delightful woman who has been storing old wood and wants to find a home for it... so I'm hoping we'll be able to get an idea of what she has to offer this weekend.

Oh, and I've been working my touchas off on regular work work as well. Unfortunately consultants don't really get vacations like the rest of the world. That being said, I do hope to do a bit more work this weekend - getting the last tree down, checking out the wood, and possibly setting the footings.

So even though I haven't been as active about the hut as I'd like to be in terms of construction, I am making progress... sort of.

Thanks to everyone for your good thoughts and attention! It helps to keep this exciting and moving, and honestly, it keeps me motivated!!

All comments welcome!!

And I hope to post new pictures soon!

I was almost giving up...

I have found that over time, I get to the point on things when I am just ready to give up...

And go to Lowes and buy some atrocity, that my neighbors would tolerate, and I would "make due" with... something really grim like this:

That the gods smile upon me, decide I've struggled with frustration long enough and show me the way out.

Honestly, the more exhausted and wits end I am, but not quite giving up, the richer the reward. I don't expect it, but I always feel grateful when it happens. . .

So this morning, instead of diving into the Project Summary I was supposed to be drafting I jumped over to my friend Alex's sight on "shed working" and found that though he's gone on holiday (it's vacation), he's left me a gem. It's a link to a site that is the inspiration and fun that I needed... Called Simon Dale's low impact woodland home.

DUDE!!!

This is IT!!!

It includes the building instructions, and thoughts on how to do this without spending a fortune!!

And then I sent the post to my awesomest friend Sue, who totally gets the low impact hobbit hole thing and she's thrilled too. I even sent it to Tim, the engineer, who said it looked good, though he's concerned about the heat here in Georgia with the straw bale construction... Honestly, just having SOMETHING would be great, and having this would be amazing.

It will be smaller, but I'm INSPIRED AGAIN!!!

I can't dive into it too deeply yet, Russian Arctic Stakeholders to analyze and then a Transboundary Diagnostic Analysis for the Caspian, but those should wrap as the weather cools a bit here...

anyway, I'm thrilled and once again, feeling energized and optimistic. And ready to go start digging holes in the back yard!!

From my In Box:

Dear Mary,
On 7.7.07 more than two billion people will come together during Live Earth. That number is unfathomable - more than one-fourth of the world’s population will participate in a single event and demand a solution to the climate crisis. This unique moment presents us with a unique choice.
Do we use this unprecedented opportunity to organize a global movement that will last beyond 7.7.07? Or do we let the moment pass?
I know my answer - and I think I know yours. That’s why I am issuing this challenge: Let’s use this moment to pledge our support to solving the climate crisis. Just as important – let’s ask everyone we know to join us as part of this movement.
Sign the 7.7.07 Live Earth Pledge:
http://liveearthpledge.org/algore.php
The 7.7.07 Live Earth Pledge:
I PLEDGE:
1. To demand that my country join an international treaty within the next 2 years that cuts global warming pollution by 90% in developed countries and by more than half worldwide in time for the next generation to inherit a healthy earth;
2. To take personal action to help solve the climate crisis by reducing my own CO2 pollution as much as I can and offsetting the rest to become "carbon neutral;"
3. To fight for a moratorium on the construction of any new generating facility that burns coal without the capacity to safely trap and store the CO2;
4. To work for a dramatic increase in the energy efficiency of my home, workplace, school, place of worship, and means of transportation;
5. To fight for laws and policies that expand the use of renewable energy sources and reduce dependence on oil and coal;
6. To plant new trees and to join with others in preserving and protecting forests; and,
7. To buy from businesses and support leaders who share my commitment to solving the climate crisis and building a sustainable, just, and prosperous world for the 21st century.
Sign the Live Earth Pledge by visiting:
http://liveearthpledge.org/algore.php
Together we were able to make March’s Congressional hearings a huge moment by collecting more than 500,000 messages and demonstrating the significant public support for solving the climate crisis to our elected leaders and the media. Our next opportunity to demonstrate this growing movement will come on 7.7.07
Live Earth will not just be a 24-hour concert – but the launch of a massive campaign to demonstrate that the political will exists to solve the climate crisis.
Sign the Live Earth Pledge by visiting:
http://liveearthpledge.org/algore.php
As our movement grows larger we will shake loose the paralysis currently gripping our political system. Working together we can get it done.
Thank you,
Al Gore
P.S. You can still sign up to host a Live Earth House Party by visiting:
http://joinliveearth.org/gore

Reflections on how green to go...

Well, I'm definitely down from my "OH!! WE FINISHED THE PRO DOC!!" intoxication. Actually, I've been feeling a bit hung over all day. A few more things to do yet. Demo projects need scripting out, and there's that pesky new Incremental Cost Analysis format. (shoot me now?)

Anyway, despite a notable lack of sleep, it's been a good day.

Hot, but comfortable - worked out in the fortress of Gurlitude a good bit.

I'm still waiting on the quote from Steve. But I'm sort of wondering if I haven't gone over board with the dug out house. I mean really, right now I am working out of a tent. And it's not even a real tent. And it's pretty comfortable. Do I need a bunker?

Athens is not frigid in the winter, and not miserable (Florida miserable) in the summer. The rest of the year, it's actually quite pleasant. Plus I'm enjoying feeling "close to nature". And there are budget considerations. I'm still thinking, and waiting....

I've also been doing a bit of blog reading. A few new nifty finds:


Little Blog in the Woods. http://littlebloginthebigwoods.blogspot.com/ A neat hippy type guy who lives very simply in the woods. An interesting blog on how he manages. It's very down to earth, and well, deep forest green. The author "Green Pa" makes the point that when he was getting into this some 30 years ago, instead of reading the "success stories" of folks who had built eco-groovy homes for the first time, he looked to the Fox Fire series - stories of Appalachian folks who had lived this way their whole lives. It struck a chord. Not that I'm going to be building a shack with a still out back, but it's a reminder that this project doesn't have to be a very expensive building - that sort of misses the point.

The other nifty find was a woman who decided to really do something about her impact on the planet in Green as a Thistle (clean as a whistle, get it?) http://greenasathistle.com/ She's committed to doing something to be "greener" every day. It's very well written and very interesting. And Honestly, like Low Impact Man, and Green Pa, very inspiring. And clever. It's worth taking a look at!

It's also made me think about what I'm ready to give up - and what I'm not.

Tonight, I'm knackered, but so far:

I was out of toothpaste and used baking soda instead!! Just from the dentist fresh and smooth!! (okay, I can do that, plus a little toothpaste for fluoride - like once a day.

Willing to give up the need for AC in my future office. Yes, it will get warm. Fans work. shade works. Not a need for more freon in world.

Not willing to give up the DHC face stuff I use. It feels so good and the Deep Cleaning Oil - aahhhh... Plus I'm working outside in the woods. I think it's a fair trade off.

Not willing to give up my refrigerator. At this point. Sure, I *could* live without it, but my friends Ben and Jerry are counting on me to keep them cool.

Willing to give up incandescent light bulbs for compact fluorescent. As the bulbs burn out, we replace them with the more eco-friendly ones. At first I didn't like them - light was too cool or blue - looked like a hospital. But now, I'm liking them more and more. And they are in warmer in colors too.

Not willing to give up my Chanel No. 19. A girl has to have limits. It's my little luxury, and ooooh la-la! I LOVE it!!

Willing to give up ... some more stuff. I just don't know what. Yet....

What about you? What are you willing to give up to make the world a little greener?

I need to sleep.

Ta ta!