Promoted.
I'm super excited, guys.
Super. Excited.
But this tidal wave of high spirits is starting to ebb, so I have to type fast. I also have to listen to an hour long lecture tonight. Because if I don't now I never will. I just listened to a lecture by Bill McKibben, who is officially about the coolest geeky looking middle aged man of all time. He leads 350.org, which is the big movement to get our atmospheric carbon dioxide levels below 350 parts per million. He's been called the most important environmentalist of today, and he was signing copies of his new book Eaarth. I was tempted but since I cannot afford to feed myself I couldn't justify buying it when my friend's bought it and his older books as well. But that is two books with our planet's name in the title that I want. Oh well. As much as it pains me, I think Eaarth is probably more important than Earth: The Book.
versus
Unfortunately I'm naturally biased against the latter, I think monkeys are overrated. And I will not copy Papa Bear O'Reilly's joke even if Stephen himself thought it was funny. Because that's lame.
Anyway. Pretty much everyone from ActivUs turned out in our Beyond Coal or Quit Coal tshirts. We sat in the second row in a big block and had decided we would ask a question about our coal power plant. Rivka decided to be the person to ask, and we all waited tensely during the question session. Everytime she'd get the woman's attention for the microphone someone would yell out from the back. At one point I think we all thought she wouldn't get to ask it, but she was the last one. She stammered a little - it was a big crowd to talk in front of - but when she was done everyone clapped. He gave us a great answer, one that really spoke to me personally, telling us to do our best. And not get arrested, of course. Afterward she had people come up to her thanking her for asking what everyone was wondering about. It was so great.
Last weekend someone had made this plywood sign that is in the shape of the 350 logo. Seen here:
I cropped it really small, I know. And yes, that's the top of my head there. That's why I cropped it close, I'm making the most ridiculously bad face possible. But that bad dad is made out of plywood and is not exactly light. But we took it around the room, having people sign it for us. The last signature we got tonight was Bill himself. It's now our collective prised possession.
But nobody cares about saving the Earth. No, the only thing I'm getting texts from Brett about is whatever Stephen did tonight on the show. I haven't seen it yet, but according to him we needed to be there this afternoon. I'm so scared.
And I came in here with the intention of listening to the lecture I missed Wednesday morning. I'm thinking I'll just put it off. I'm actually getting a great grade in there, it's my Chemistry that's tanking. Right now I have a C- which is probably closer to a D. But tonight has kind of got my blood pumping. I don't think I want to work in a lab anymore. I have for three hours a week for seven or eight weeks, and it's not nearly as glamorous as you'd think, if you thought it was. What change can I really do anyway? I'm no great scientific mind. No, I think the best way to get real change is to work out there in the public.
Now, the idea of the public scares me shitless, but working with ActivUs may just open up new paths. Aim high and all that stuff. So I have a meeting with my advisor next Thursday, and I'm going to officially broach the subject of leaving the Earth Science field. I've made some amazing friends there but it's not for me.
Tomorrow night should be movie night with Brett and Reed. I don't care what we do as long as Brett keeps watching me when he doesn't think I notice, and laughing that great laugh that I hear when I'm laying in bed at night.
Also, this morning as I parked my bike I became aware of the fact that I had a dream about the bike racks. My dream life sure is getting dull.
Super. Excited.
But this tidal wave of high spirits is starting to ebb, so I have to type fast. I also have to listen to an hour long lecture tonight. Because if I don't now I never will. I just listened to a lecture by Bill McKibben, who is officially about the coolest geeky looking middle aged man of all time. He leads 350.org, which is the big movement to get our atmospheric carbon dioxide levels below 350 parts per million. He's been called the most important environmentalist of today, and he was signing copies of his new book Eaarth. I was tempted but since I cannot afford to feed myself I couldn't justify buying it when my friend's bought it and his older books as well. But that is two books with our planet's name in the title that I want. Oh well. As much as it pains me, I think Eaarth is probably more important than Earth: The Book.
versus
Unfortunately I'm naturally biased against the latter, I think monkeys are overrated. And I will not copy Papa Bear O'Reilly's joke even if Stephen himself thought it was funny. Because that's lame.
Anyway. Pretty much everyone from ActivUs turned out in our Beyond Coal or Quit Coal tshirts. We sat in the second row in a big block and had decided we would ask a question about our coal power plant. Rivka decided to be the person to ask, and we all waited tensely during the question session. Everytime she'd get the woman's attention for the microphone someone would yell out from the back. At one point I think we all thought she wouldn't get to ask it, but she was the last one. She stammered a little - it was a big crowd to talk in front of - but when she was done everyone clapped. He gave us a great answer, one that really spoke to me personally, telling us to do our best. And not get arrested, of course. Afterward she had people come up to her thanking her for asking what everyone was wondering about. It was so great.
Last weekend someone had made this plywood sign that is in the shape of the 350 logo. Seen here:
I cropped it really small, I know. And yes, that's the top of my head there. That's why I cropped it close, I'm making the most ridiculously bad face possible. But that bad dad is made out of plywood and is not exactly light. But we took it around the room, having people sign it for us. The last signature we got tonight was Bill himself. It's now our collective prised possession.
But nobody cares about saving the Earth. No, the only thing I'm getting texts from Brett about is whatever Stephen did tonight on the show. I haven't seen it yet, but according to him we needed to be there this afternoon. I'm so scared.
And I came in here with the intention of listening to the lecture I missed Wednesday morning. I'm thinking I'll just put it off. I'm actually getting a great grade in there, it's my Chemistry that's tanking. Right now I have a C- which is probably closer to a D. But tonight has kind of got my blood pumping. I don't think I want to work in a lab anymore. I have for three hours a week for seven or eight weeks, and it's not nearly as glamorous as you'd think, if you thought it was. What change can I really do anyway? I'm no great scientific mind. No, I think the best way to get real change is to work out there in the public.
Now, the idea of the public scares me shitless, but working with ActivUs may just open up new paths. Aim high and all that stuff. So I have a meeting with my advisor next Thursday, and I'm going to officially broach the subject of leaving the Earth Science field. I've made some amazing friends there but it's not for me.
Tomorrow night should be movie night with Brett and Reed. I don't care what we do as long as Brett keeps watching me when he doesn't think I notice, and laughing that great laugh that I hear when I'm laying in bed at night.
Also, this morning as I parked my bike I became aware of the fact that I had a dream about the bike racks. My dream life sure is getting dull.