Oh my! I just sent off close to 30 emails to our future sites, and then I'll be following up this week to solidify who, when, where to shot as we are on the journey. The more I research our sites and people, I get the little girl excitement, with my eyes widening, my head swirling of opportunities and questions that I want to ask the visionaries in their respective fields, and a foreign, yet welcoming drive. I want to know about wave energy, how mycellum absorbs chemicals, or how organic farming has turned to billions of dollar business. I want to know how small towns are coping with the normal economic stresses, yet are forging ahead with innovative sustainable practices, how cities are addressing critical environmental issues. and what initiatives are out there in building, transportation, education, etc. I'm looking forward to knowing more of my choices, because sometimes I feel a bit debilitated, and don't know really where to start. As I think of it now, I guess the starting part was months ago when we had the idea.:)

I don't feel like I have anything to post about, even though I've certainly been busy the last few days. Some snippets:

Covered Squonk Opera's production in Bloomington for CATS. Music wasn't thrilling. Visual effects were great. I loved some of the effects they made with essentially two overhead projectors and a bunch of venetian blinds. Good stuff.

Luna Music Festival, a women's event here in Bloomington also didn't thrill me. The Music was pretty good all-around, but it seemed like the sets were too long and the crowd was pretty dead (and small). Part of my reaction probably came from us having so little time to set up and really the whole crew being in a bit of a funk from that frantic start. The causes were good and I wanted to like the show, but I just found myself wishing they would get it over with quicker.

Easter lunch at my Uncle Phil's was nice, if pretty uneventful. Melissa came down to meet the family, and that went well. The food was good, and I got a free banjo from my uncle, plus he and my aunt tried to get us to take their upright piano (I will do that when I have the room). It was good to see the family, and I'm looking forward to learning to play this weird East German 5-string.

Also, my grandpa had a heart attack this week (Weds night). Melissa and I went down to see him Friday morning at the hospital, but he was sedated pretty strongly and wasn't much for conversation. He looked ok though, outside of some bruises from IV needles. It was nice to see my Grandma Martha and my dad for a while, and I'm glad we went down, even if grandpa was kind of out of it. One humorous note: we left for a while for the nurses to bathe and shave him, and when we got back, he told us that he'd gone to Appleacres (an orchard about 30 minutes away) and had some apples while we were gone. That's some good painkiller action they've got at Dunn Memorial Hospital if it makes you think you've gone to eat some fresh apples when you really just got a spongebath.

Today felt like a long day. Not because we did too much, but mostly because we did too little. We had until 4:30 to get work done today, and yet it felt like frustratingly little actually got finalized.

I did set up our email through the new domain service. Andy and Melissa "at" changinggearsmovie.com. Seemed sensible, but it was an important step for contacting people and looking professional.

At 4:30, we had a City Planning Commission meeting. It went something like 4 and a half hours. That's a long time to talk about a few developers who don't want to follow the rules set out by the local zoning laws. I feel like screaming sometimes when the commission belabors the finer points of a proposal to break the laws. I don't think I'd be that flexible, were I a commissioner. It's not like pickpockets get the chance to apply for a variance for the laws on theft because they have a perfectly good reason to pick pockets in their specific circumstances.

Make the laws and stick to them. If they don't work, modify the laws. Seems simple to me. But what do I know? I just watch lots of meetings.

Just got done doing audio for the city planning commission with Andy, and what I find somewhat discouraging at the city level , and this isn't just this city, that when regulations have been established developers still request waivers and commissions continue to grant them. For instance, the particular parcel of land that they approved was on 8 acres of property, significant in size, and I would think that such a large piece of land should epitomize what a sustainable, green development would be. Though it had years to get to this level of acceptance, it failed on many accounts, and still needed to get waivers.

Normally i'm on the fence about Tony Robbins, however, I think his quote is appropriate:

"Understand that when it is hard to keep a commitment, you have two choices: you can change your behavior to match your commitment, or you can lower your values to match your behavior".

As a city, as a nation, we won't get to where we need to be if we continue to lower our values to match the behavior. It is indeed a challenge, but is one that needs to happen if we want the whole system to work for future generations.

Alright, so yesterday solidified the fact that we can't get fiscal sponsorship, if we want passive investors under our LLC. That basically means, we can't do any grant writing, which is a little blip in our plans. However, we are now taking the Bill Mckibben route of pushing full steam ahead and just "stepping it up". We have a little over two and a half months, and looking at the bank account is reason enough to step up our financial strategy and get moving.

Every day it seems like new ideas come into my head. New products. New Businesses to open. New political schemes. New films to make. New New New.

But most of them are ephemeral. They come and go and I forget about them. Until I see them again later in someone else's work.

Emerson, in Self-Reliance, said this about listening to those ideas:

"A man should learn to detect and watch that gleam of light which flashes across his mind from within, more than the lustre of the firmament of bards and sages. Yet he dismisses without notice his thought, because it is his. In every work of genius we recognize our own rejected thoughts: they come back to us with a certain alienated majesty. Great works of art have no more affecting lesson for us than this. They teach us to abide by our spontaneous impression with good-humored inflexibility then most when the whole cry of voices is on the other side. Else, to-morrow a stranger will say with masterly good sense precisely what we have thought and felt all the time, and we shall be forced to take with shame our own opinion from another."

I want to follow my ideas. To take each one and give it the loving attention it deserves. But there is another side to all of these thoughts. I can find myself following a new one every day, or even every hour. Then I end up seeing none of them completed.

Melissa has a quote by Coolidge on her bedroom wall. It speaks to the other end of effectiveness:

"Nothing in the world can take the place of Persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan 'Press On' has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race."

So now I must put aside some of those ideas and concentrate on this one: we must make a movie. We have a story to tell. A story about how people are changing their world, one step at a time. A story about how our hometowns can learn from them and take the next step themselves. We need to tell a story about two people who have the will to press on to the next town and the next story of how people can make a difference.

Changing Gears represents a change in me. I need to harness the ideas that go into this movie and see them through to their conclusion. I need to learn the focus and determination that it takes to "solve the problems of the human race."

I will.

The blog has been migrated. The website is registered. We are on our way.

I walk up the stairs to the renovated Admin office at 8:00 this evening, to finish up some work for the Co-op, and Steve, the Bloomingfoods Member/Marketing guru, is the only one there. The day before I had confirmed my departure, and though Steve knew I was departing, he didn't know why. So I begin to talk to him about the journey, and our conversation turned toward the topic of human behavior. We talked about choices one makes, and how we choose to live certain lifestyles, and how both agreed that inspiration, or idea, commitment, and action directs the way life unfolds, or how basically whatever it is we choose and act on directs our life.

I personally have been on an experiment, to see what happens if I actually work towards fulfilling my ideas. How does life unfold with the choices I've made? Clearly, I see patterns in my life, but I also see that I am confident on what I value and how I want to live in the world, and am aware that every action I make has some effect on the direction.
So, I've went through a process and asked myself very specific questions on what I was passionate about, what has seemed constant in my life that I enjoy, what are the things I have always wanted to try, what are my strengths, weakness, what do I want to development, what concerns me, what could I be motivated about, what would I like to see changed in this world, what things excited me when I was young? The list went on; it was almost a self help class on future endeavors, say what a business class would teach in terms of the next step though I was embarking on the journey through my well used library card.

This journey across the country is the culmination of that process of inspiration, and in this phase for the last couple of months has been about commitment. I'm committed to this project and with Andy on this ride, and now preparing for the ride and taking the trip will be the action part. As Steve and I discussed further, and though cliche as sounds, we agreed that it really isn't about the destination it's about the journey and the things we learn about along the way and the people we meet. And this trip and documentation will be the perfect example; however, it will also undoubtedly give us other directions to choose from.

Ironically, as life unfolded this evening, Steve asked if it would be okay if he could post our blogs when we are on the journey on the co-op enews, which goes out to over 3000 people, as well as offered his knowledge and contact info on the nations' co-ops he knows along our route. "Of coure", I said. Indeed, life is amazing how it unfolds.

This trip is going to be a big step for us. For our relationship, our careers, our fitness, and our worldview. I'm excited every day by the thought. Yesterday when we told the director of our station, Michael White, that we were leaving, he called it the adventure of a lifetime. I feel blessed that I've had a couple of adventures of a lifetime already, and now I get to embark on a new one.

The job situation I had when Melissa and I met was a good one. I had founded a little film company with some friends called Aegis Films, and things were looking good there, with a couple of ideas for future projects bouncing around. I had a steady job at the University, doing computer tech work, and I'd just been hired on at CATS to do TV production. I figured I could keep sharp on film making skills at CATS while our new projects ramped up.

But things changed, as they often do. In a 4-month period, Aegis work flow stalled and I found myself dating Melissa and talking about this project. It was just an idea then, but step by step we've brought it closer to reality.

Now I've quit the IU job, Melissa told the Co-op she's leaving, and we told CATS about the plan as a couple yesterday. Everyone at every employer has been very supportive and excited for us. It's been a remarkable and wonderful experience. I was especially surprised and impressed at the reaction from IU.

About a month ago, I was trying to work the two jobs (getting me between 50-55 hours a week) and plan Aegis work and Changing Gears work. It was too much. I decided on a Saturday (my first full day off for a couple of weeks) that I needed to commit to CG, so I sent them a notice that I wouldn't be in Monday and that I was quitting. 2 Days notice is something that I didn't want to stiff them with, but I was close to the breaking point.

I didn't hear from them for a few days, but when I did, two of the managers emailed me to send me their best wishes and to send good luck to the project. That's very impressive to me and speaks well of them both.

I was also impressed and delighted by the reaction of the management at CATS. Martin has a reputation as a bit of a hard man, and the expectation when giving him bad news is that you'll get a bit of an earful. But to his credit, he was candid and said that the project sounded exciting and that he'd be happy to help out if he could (well, after telling us jokingly something like "screw you, but best of luck."). I'm certainly not trying to hurt CATS by leaving. It has really been one of the best places I've ever worked in, and I love the role we fill in the community. So I was glad that Martin didn't take it badly. He also seemed to appreciate that we gave over two months notice.

I'd love to come back to CATS, but they won't hold our positions for us given we'll be gone over two months. There were many projects I wanted to take on here that haven't worked out for whatever reason, but I have enjoyed the experience immensely. We just hired on three new production assistants, and the two I've met seem like good people. It will be sad to leave the station in the end.

But we plan to be making weekly roundups of our travels, and we'd like to send them back to CATS to be aired. I want CATS to benefit from our future work, just as I've certainly benefited from my experience here.

What will happen when we return is still up in the air. I'm planning on being in school, but that isn't confirmed yet. I'd love to work at CATS too, but that's doubtful at best. I guess I'll just figure it out as opportunities present themselves.

What I'm sure about is that it will be a great experience for us, and I think it will make our relationship stronger. Whatever I return to, I'm going to be a stronger person after this trip in many ways. I'm very much looking forward to it.

Today we told our bosses at CATS that we'd be leaving in June. A big step, and one we approached with some trepidation. The only comment I can make now is that it was a good lesson on how you can't really worry about what other people may say, do or think. You just do what works best for you, and if you are honest and open with people, they will appreciate you for who you are and what you are bringing into their life.

Oh, and I love Melissa.

Lessons for me after working 15hours:
Forget the coffee right off the bat, go straight for the green tea, it's so much easier on the stomach
Don't schedule a meeting in mid afternoon, as that's about the time I want to take a nap, even when I don't nap
Drink all the expensive organic fruit juices from my friendly co-op. The % of vitamins gives me the needed extra boost, plus, they are so satisfying
Make sure to go outside, especially when it is finally the first day of perfect weather.
When confronted with a a seemingly difficult conversation, just be truthful and upfront. (Both of my understanding employers were informed of my last day, because of the bike journey)
Appreciate the moments and the simple glances I have with Andy, as we get to work together throughout the day.
goodnight

My breath in is slightly wheezy, and I can still taste the salt on my lips from a somewhat sweaty morning ride. Finally, I was able to get back on the bike, without freezing, and headed for Monroe Lake; though, it takes me longer then I always expect to prepare myself for the ride. Where's my bike shorts(over at Andy's, crap), what about my helmet or camelback(not at my place either), and I realize I don't even have my cellphone. Number one rule about biking, always bring your cell, credit card, and keys, or you may just be walking back and waiting for hours for someone to let you in. Walking in bike shoes even 5miles is a pain. In any case, I had to ride; it was just to nice, so I rummaged through exercise gear that's over ten years old waiting to be worn, and pull on my skin tight bright blue 90s leggings. As winter is ending, I've formed a little layer of protection and though i'm not that comfortable in skin tight leggings, its' better then my jeans. So finally after a half hour of who knows what, I'm on my bike riding the 17 miles round trip. The first ten minutes, I try to block out of my head so I just try to get into the flow of things, and then after the up and down hills at about 8 miles I am blissfully happy. I love the crisp air, the hill just as I get to the lake where I coast for a good 3 minutes down to the rocky beach, and the solitude. I'm the only one there, or so it seems, to enjoy. Hopefully, I'm able to go again tomorrow.

Yes, so tonight Melissa and I rode home from CATS. I related to her one problem with bike pants: they don't agree with my balls. If somehow I don't get things situated just right, then every pedal stroke one of my nuts gets pinched. Not a good feeling. Usually not painful really, just uncomfortable in the extreme. So I had to stop and readjust, and then we rode on home. It was her idea to blog about it. ;)

Other goings on... I covered the Bloomington Peak Oil Task Force's first meeting tonight. Did it on a volunteer basis because CATS wasn't covering it. They talked about many things, and decided on a couple of items to get straight for the next meeting. Basically, they are going to figure out the real questions they need to ask about the community, and determine Bloomington's vulnerabilities in a Peaked Oil climate. I made the simple suggestion that they should also look at the opportunities that a Peaked Oil climate presents, and no one seemed to think twice about that.

I also suggested that they look at engagement and community involvement. I pointed out that people don't often come to (or even know about) meetings like the one we were in. There were 4 people in the audience. Not too many when you are trying to get a town of 80,000 people to make some radical changes in lifestyle. I made my comment and they went on without a moment's hesitation to the next item without even addressing it. Pretty frustrating stuff. I'll post the video of the exchange soon.

Good night world.

Yeah! Andy just informed me he's making progress, "Yes, progress" on the website.
As for me, i've been sitting in somewhat of a cramped position on the loveseat, with brief stretches, for again a couple of hours, finishing the Cali contacts and destinations. After traveling thousands of miles on bike, our end site will be in San Fran. I take my now marked up, bent map, and trace the distance and elevation from the oregon border to go past our 8 stops down to Sacremento, and then finally coast into San Fran. I just get tired looking at my 2 dimensional map, however, I guide my finger back to the Napa area, and know that the organic wine at that point(close to 80 days traveling) will taste heavenly.
So now the next stage is figuring out our funding.....

Today was the first that I've ridden the bike since mid-week. It bums me out that the weather is crappy here now, but it also let us stay inside and be (mostly) productive this weekend. I've learned some useful things about actionscript, and the website design is slowly coming together.

Tonight I'm listening to Omara Portuondo and trying to figure out how to properly us UILoaders. Fun times.

My back porch the other day:

I've spent most of the afternoon and evening getting my butt kicked by Flash CS3 and especially ActionScript 3.0. I'm not really in a great mindset for coding, having not done it in a long, long time, and learning ActionScript pretty much from the ground up is grueling. But I think it will be worth it to do the simple few things I want to do for our greater website.

Basically, I want the website for Changing Gears to provide three functions:

1. Give day-to-day text updates. The extension of this daily blog, although it may eventually not be hosted on blogger, depending on how well I can get the aforementioned flash to integrate with the blogger feed. I want us to be able to type up updates on the road and then have them posted quickly to the website.

2. A daily photo journal. We're going to be taking lots of photos, and a fair amount of video every day. I want to post a small collection on photos on each calendar day during the trip, as well as having screencaps from the day's video.

3. A weekly video segment. The ideal for me is if we can be editing while we tour. That's going to be painful in some ways since I'd love to have the extra time to enjoy the trip. But I also want to turn the project around extremely quickly, and have the benefit of having footage available to post on the website. I'd like to be able to post a weekly video with highlights from the previous 6 days on every weekend. Sundays we are planning to rest from riding, and hopefully the extra downtime on the weekend will allow us to make larger updates like putting a short video online.

So anyway, that's pretty ambitious for someone who doesn't have much of a clue about the new actionscript or the new version of Flash. In about 6 hours today... you can select the month you want to see. Hopefully the date selection will be in place tomorrow....

Drinking pomegranate green tea, with my eyes fixated on this glowing research tool, I'm needing to stop checking out websites. For the past 6 hours, I've been fine tuning the contact information and destinations that we're going to be documenting along our route, especially in Oregon, as it seems there is so much to choose from. Many towns, most notably Portland, but her smaller friends of Eugene, C0rvallis, Bend, Ashland, stand out in many ways in terms of how long they have been implementing sustainable practices for their communities.

• Portland and Eugene: Named greenest cities. Not a surprise, when Portland was the first city to adopt a strategy to cut it's emissions, over 15years ago when Co2 and ecofootprint weren't even heard of. And Eugene, well, if I had to come up with terms of what "green" could mean, I'd say one with walkable/bikable communities, community gardens, parks, eco designs having LEED certification, sustainable forums at all levels, especially at the city level, and taking a look at the sites, there seems to be reason why they are in the top ten. http://www.thegreenguide.com/doc/113/top10cities
  

• Corvallis: has one of the highest percentages of people who use bikes in the US. Not up to Groningen, Netherlands, but hey, biking is catching on, and not only that but popular!

• Pringle Creek Community, Salem: a development where eco-urban design reigned in its planning and final implementation, where it boasts as one of the most sustainable communities in the US. We'll see about that when we get there. Nonetheless... http://www.pringlecreek.com/explore.htm
  

• Bend is all about utilizing green power, giving consumer the choice of 100% renewable energy in the form of wind, solar, biomass, geothermal. To date, over 10% of the population is using renewable energy, as part of the Bend Blue Sky Community Challenge. http://www.pacificpower.net/Article/Article78162.html
  

What has been informative is that at all levels, individual, business, school, city and county governments, and even state governments are pushing us to think and take action that makes economical, environmental, and to me, common sense.
....so for the next couple of hours, I'll see what my old friend of California has to offer.

There's going to be an Earth Day celebration put on at IU by the Volunteers in Sustainability, the student arm of the IU Sustainability Task Force. They seem to be a good organization and they are making some good gestures towards bringing together university, community and business interests for the events.

Melissa and I are planning on filming some of the events, doing some interviews of speakers beforehand, and putting together a little show about the whole thing. It should be a good time, and we need some extra practice on non-CATS shoots.

So I contacted the Volunteers in Sustainability this week, who agreed to some shooting, and then talked to the director and programming director at CATS, who also seemed interested. Seems like all systems are a go for this one.

Earth day, here we come! :)

Cows belching comprise mostly of the methane gas emitted into the air, not the dung or the gas one would initially think of is what Andy tells me. I may have to look at his resources. Nonetheless, after reading The Rough Guide to Climate Change, by Robert Henson, Co2, methane, ozone, water vapor, leftover CFCs are the biggest contributers to greenhouse gases.

Yes, we've made a commitment to each other. We're going to blog once a day, come rain or shine. I can even blog through my miracle phone, so there's no excuse. We're also going to post a pic once a day, and my phone can even do that. Again, no excuse.

Here's how happy Melissa is to be blogging her heart out (we're saving electricity by not using the lights in my apartment, obviously):