Be Your Best

I just finished a very good book called “Hot, Flat, and Crowded. Why we need a Green Revolution—and how it can Renew America” by Thomas Friedman.  I highly recommend this book to anyone regardless of your views on global warming, the environment, energy conservation, etc…  The book does an extremely good job of explaining the macro-economic realities of why ‘going Green’ makes sense, but explained it in a way that I have never understood before.  I, like most people, think it’s a good idea to recycle, reduce Carbon Dioxide emissions, conserve energy, lower pollution, etc…as much as possible.  But I now understand another reason beyond ‘the right thing to do’ to go Green — it appears that it will be the only thing to do in the relatively near future once certain economic forces reach critical mass.  This book makes a very good and understandable case that ‘Green’ is the next fundamental concept (call it an ‘engine’) to create technological innovation, economic prosperity, jobs, and quality of living increase on a huge scale.  It is sitting there ready for a country or countries to embrace on a massive and aggressive scale.  Thomas Friedman, the author, contends that a major country(s) that is the first to execute ‘Green’ on a massive scale, cohesively and thoroughly as a country, will transform everything for the rest of the world, and benefit disproportionately in many ways.  Very interesting reading.

Megan, my 7 year old, lost yet again, another tooth this past month.  I watched her try to eat an apple the other day (she would not let us cut the apple up — she’s ‘too old’ for that now), and it looked very painful as she contorted her mouth to get some of her few remaining teeth dug in.  Both Lauren (my 10 year old) and Megan will play softball this year.  This is Meg’s first year, and I have been coaching Lauren’s teams for the past several years.  Now it is time for me to coach Meg’s team.  The interesting thing is I always learn more than the girls I coach  — which is consistent with what I have always heard: “the teacher always learns more than the students” … which brings up an important point.  In every case where I have volunteered my time to coach or teach or lead in some way, I have always gotten back much much more than I provided, usually in unexpected ways.  In fact, many of the most satisfying and enjoyable events in my memory were times where I was volunteering in some way.  I do some volunteering at my daughters’ elementary school, and I always leave the  school not only with the satisfaction of contributing, but also with some key learning that I had not anticipated.  Volunteer lead, teach, or coach if you can…it’s a great way to learn, while doing something great for your community.      Take care, Todd