A Producer/Creative Director/Videographer of a small independent hi-def video company of experimental Zen Filmmakers.

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Hello, to all!

(This is a slightly modified version of when I was asked, just recently, why that my page was sitting basically undeveloped, despite being one of the first to join in. I was asked about taking this seriously, and this was the core of my response...and also fulfills another request, to put something in this "About Me" section!):

The reason, is that I am dealing with some possibly grave, & very longtime personal health issues, and I have visited my site only erratically, at best. When just asked this question, it had been quite some time. But, I can assure all, that I do take it very seriously, and I still hope to develop my page. I have to realistically be aware, however, that I possibly might never be able to fully be involved at MyEnergyFriends in the way that I would prefer. I really do not have any way of knowing the answer to that.

However, I do believe in the power of sheer high numbers, when it does come to directly affecting and influencing change. So, I did join. This viewpoint, comes from my rather extensive involvement with e-mail campaigns fighting many, many concerns. So, I joined MyEnergyFriends.com, awhile ago. Knowing that at the very least, just my presence might help.

Despite what may be perceived by most, as a seemingly complete non-involvment in any kind of real activity on here, I do believe in striving mightily both as an individual, and as an organized and forward thinking group. To achieve progressively, a means to go about changing the way the world thinks about how it actually does go about doing things. By first setting examples. Then, by educating and stimulating others without any traces of borish overbearing pride or presumption. To treat those who do not understand the gravitas of these matters, with a sense of understanding. It is often only a simple case of many just feeling, "well, that would be really nice, if I was rich". This often gets tossed in with a stew of being set in their ways, or a lack of education. So, it is our truest and highest purpose to imagine ways
to peak their interest by any means necessary. Using a notion of respect, humor, and our intuitive wisdoms. If that is what it takes to make them come around. Create the realization that they can actually afford new ideas, if not even save considerable money. Also, dealing with any huge corporations, despite the sour taste it might leave in our mouths to even do so...wishing instead to read them the riot act, we only become marginalized. We do cause change in a heartbeat, when we prove to them it would be easier, and profitable. This has been my experience, anyways.

A wee bit about myself. My wife Mip and I, reside in the very first passive solar home designed and built in southern Indiana, (it's actually both active and passive, but still, a pure passive design), and originally orchestrated by the architect Rodney Wright, from the Hawkweed group, out of Chicago, IL back in the mid to late 1970's. To those in the greater Louisville, KY area, who know that includes southern Indiana, and who may be wondering, or have some knowledge about the local solar dwellings, we live in what was once originally the Findling's home, up in Floyds Knobs. So obviously, all the vision, passion, and considerable credit must go to
them first, for without their commitment, what is today our home, never even happens. We remain indebted to their foresight, and to architect Rodney Wright and the Hawkweed group for the actual design.

A great portion of this 20th Century modern lap cedar solar home, was built almost entirely from using only recycled items. With so much of it's parts taken from a historically significant middle school and also one university, and then a pharmacy circa the early 1920's, that at the time, were being completely torn down. The university still remains, (Indiana University Southeast), but at the time, they were creating a new gymnasium/basketball court. Also, a very early road's bricks, from downtown Louisville, KY, characteristically almost cobblestone in their style, accent in between the back of the house and a separate building, (a two car garage, although we have only one car - which is an old '83 Mercedes, with a diesel engine, and it is someday going to be converted to only run on used vegetable oil. When it is feasable for us to be able to realistically do so, for our job needs. The garage is partially used for just storage, and it does store our lawnmower, an electric one). Even the very floor of the crawlspace used only pebbles from the Ohio River. Mostly all of Indiana crawlspaces, utilize limestone, instead. We also have a polyurethane roof, with hopes of the second story roof to someday be green grass. That's near an additional sun saving, and purely passive room, that uses mylar panels that can close, to keep in heat that creates a radiating heated slate floor. All our lighting is primarily either low wattage full spectrum bulbs, and/or energy saver bulbs. Our water heater is a solar/hybrid one. We do have a "smart" air conditining/heating unit when it gets way too hot or too cold, but do have a wood stove for heat, and an this amazingly little Steffes heater that stores by heating "rocks" in the day, but, then uses no electricity at night, when it's ever actually even needed. Until recently, we still had up a peak/non-peak electric meter, and also w/ two separate timing devices with two separate settings, that can turn either the water heater or Steffes off, if not in use. Unfortunately, the electric meter, was torn off the house by Hurricane Ike winds, and the local rural electric company, no longer replaces them with dual peak/non-peak hour meters. But, all damage, from the several rather recent & severe attacks by Mother Nature, was only repaired by using completely recycled products. Also, about half of our property is still a federally protected natural wildlife sanctuary, and originally designated as such, by Purdue University. Plus, no pesticidal or poison products have ever been used either in the home, or on the outside property. We also do take care of some "special needs" animals, and I have a long history within herpetology, and with discovering some new ways of improving the health for the almost totally unstudied world of both amphibians and reptiles. We even have two "special needs" cats. We have one, deformed and abandoned, and one with a past history of abuse by humans that is so extremely severe, that it would turn your stomach for the rest of your day, just to have it all explained.

We are also very, very commited to planting only regionally native plants and trees on our property. As were the original owner's. The actual neighborhood itself, was one originally designed to only take down as little of it's flora and trees as was possible. Very, very few were. Unfortunately, the relentless multiple violent attacks of Mother Nature, did take out major trees and flora in every home's property in the neighborhood. It also has reduced the fauna, horribly aided by a nearby housing expansion, and the building of homes right up to our property, (thank you Dubya). It was a forested ridge, with open rolling hills and a creek. To even think about it sadden's me. Our small wildlife sanctuary, now basically must be used primarily to get larger creatures especially, to slow down, and turn around to seek what is still even left of the original forested ridge, as their sanctuary, now. Increased automobile traffic now puts their lives in danger.

So, I do hope you all will understand, that despite my lack of much elaborate involvement on my actual site, I am actively involved in changing the world through the utilization of progressive ideas in real life. My wife Mip, also originally produced and wrote, what is still an ongoing "green series" of packaged stories for one local TV news channel. It features local examples of newer ideas, put into action, and has in her past, been the one person who single-handedly caused recycling to begin in our former home in The Plains, Ohio. Which is just outside of Athens, Ohio, and a small bus system that is their only public transportation, remains today, only because of her. She is dedicated to recycling, and also forced her former TV station employees to at least "try" to recycle. Despite the bins being right next to the regular waste baskets and bins...you would be really surprised exactly how hard it was to even get them to do that! But, you do gather more bees around if you do offer them honey, then anger, right?

I hope this explains, sometimes, you really cannot truly, "judge a book by it's cover"! But, thanks for the original inquiring mind, who caused me to snap into action, and even write this as an explanation about myself, and for also taking a real stand and by trying to get many people more obviously and openly involved, by having a dynamic site. I certainly do agree that this is a very smart idea, and it can only make this group stronger, appear more serious, and will allow for open sharing of some good ideas. I too, feel that this is very important. Unfortunately, at the present time, I still may appear as a "dud", and likely will only be able to continue in this way. Possibly, perminently. But, let's hope not, OK? My EnergyFriends.com is a place whose time is well overdue, and I wish ALL peaceable weeks and months and many years and many decades ahead, in our mutual respect for reinventing the planet until all of it's inhabitants no longer need to be taught, to simply DO THE RIGHT THING!

Keep on, keepin' on! ~ Tim

p.s...and anybody can ask me anything, at all I might be able to help them with, at anytime, and if I'm doing OK...I certainly will.

Namasté : )