alchemistbite

[alchemistbite]

except for these 15 notes of piano

[alchemistbite]

early years climate action

I have the privilege of working on an important initiative launched by two exceptional groups--Capita and This is Planet Ed--called the Early Years Climate Action Task Force.

The Task Force will hold a series of listening sessions open to the public through mid 2023. Each session is broadcast live in videostream, and then available by podcast.

Session 1 is below, available on Spotify and other podcast hosts (https://early-years-climate-action.simplecast.com/). That's me in the opening and closing bumpers.

[alchemistbite]

momentary masters

Weekly, I have the privilege of an hour-long conversation with someone on the other half of the world. Technology has afforded us these super-distanced, instant interactions; whereas it might be viewed in the negative with regard to overlording managers in work life, the acknowledging of this technology’s permission to engage far outside our immediate cultures should supersede the criticisms.

My conversation with this individual this week included, as all of my conversations of late invariably have included, speaking about Carl Sagan—specifically, Carl Sagan’s "Pale Blue Dot." We found our way to this famous piece of writing organically as we were discussing relative freedom and personal liberty. My conversation partner started speaking about leaders and those in power, and I offered perhaps my favorite—read: the most impactful to me—excerpt from Sagan's passage:

"Think of the rivers of blood spilled by all those generals and emperors so that in glory and triumph they could become the momentary masters of a fraction of a dot." - Carl Sagan, Pale Blue Dot, 1994

We discussed this passage and my far-away friend said something rather poignant: "Leaders will do anything to keep their seats. They want to sit in their chairs as long as possible, some are stuck. Their chairs are too comfortable."

I then asked him, this person whose profession includes educating students in university, "So, is your chair comfortable or uncomfortable?"

He laughed and thought about it for a minute...