Back in Providence
Written on 01/04 at 06:59 PM by Andy Posner
0 comments
Filed under:
Since Michele and I got back to Providence on Tuesday, I've been extremely busy, to the point that I still haven't had a chance to catch up on the sleep I lost the night of New Year's. We arrived in Boston on Tuesday afternoon, after a 6:00 AM wake up call to make the 8:30 AM flight. The flight itself was a little dicey, with enough turbulence to unsettle me (I kept thinking to myself "I can't die now. . .things are going so well!).
One Year Ends, Another Begins
Written on 12/31 at 11:54 PM by Andy Posner 0 comments
Filed under:
In War and Peace, Leo Tolstoy argued that history is an inexorable process, and that indivudals are but actors shaped by the unrelenting march of time and circumstance. Well, it so happens that I only agree with Tolstoy on one of those two points; history most certainly is an inexorable process, but my entire life is predicated on the notion that individual actions shape and define history. I therefore violently disagree that history simply shapes individuals, and as another new year begins, I resolve to act with wisdom and integrity as I move into the working world. So yes, another year has come and gone, but my struggle to bridge the gap between who I am and who I long to be, continues.As part of that struggle, I am about to enter my second semester as a graduate student in Environmental Studies at Brown University. While it may sound odd, I found it very difficult to make the decision to go to graduate school after completing my B.A. in Spanish Language and Culture. The fear was that by going to graduate school I would somehow be turning my back on the longing to lead a passionate, idealistic, and adventurous life. Of course, I have come to see that, to the contrary, being in graduate school has made it possible for to me to do something truly great, namely, take my ideals and apply them to the real world in practical and tangible ways. Still, I always take on new challenges with trepidation, as I am forever wary of the potential for "losing my ideals." That fear has its genesis in when I was in 8th grade and was first becoming idealistic.
Disappointment
Written on 12/05 at 09:56 PM by Andy Posner 0 comments
Filed under:
This morning I find myself disappointed with myself. I spend so much time trying to bridge the gap between who I am who I would like to be, yet so often the bridge I build is structurally unsound. I find that rather than focusing on my projects, I focus on whether or not I am engaging the projects properly. By properly I mean "in accordance with my expectations." Given that my expectations are consistently lofty it isn't uncommon for me to feel the stress of not living up to myself. I don't fully understand why I turn every little endeavour into a life-or-death struggle between greatness and mediocrity, but the fact that I do is problematic. I don't know how I will ever do the things I want to do-write books, undertake innovative projects, etc-unless I get over this constant need to turn everything into something amazing. Not that I am misguided in my longing for greatness; rather, I am misguided in how I go about pursuing greatness. I have to learn to relax more, enjoy the process more, be more confident, and so on.
TreeHugger Job!
Written on 11/27 at 10:08 PM by Andy Posner 1 comments
Filed under:
From now on, not only will my writing be available for everyone's enjoyment on the greatest website on the internet (andyposner.org) it will also be available on the 15th most popular website on technorati (http://www.treehugger.com). Yes, that's right, I'm now a Cars and Transportation writer for treehugger! I get paid between $16 and $20 per post, plus I get bonuses depending on how popular my post is. I will be posting on Mondays, Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays. My first post can be read athttp://www.treehugger.com/files/2007/11/honda_unveils_fuelcellcar.phpBe sure to "digg" my posts: that's how I make more money! The cool thing about the job is that it forces me to become more economical in terms of my use of words. The posts aren't long (generally 200-500 words) and they obviously have to get people's attention. Beyond that, I have to learn more about the latest trends in transportation.Of course, the only downside, aside from the fact that I will have to be spending about an hour to an hour and a half per post, is that I have to personally approve all the comments, and so far I have gotten about 5 in the first hour since my post was posted! Oh well, I'm pretty excited about the job. If nothing else, it seems like a great way to network, get my name out there, and add something to my CV.So, check out my writing on treehugger, but don't let that interfere with your obsession with my website. After all, mine is the greatest website on the internet!
My Body Is A Paradox
Written on 11/26 at 10:09 PM by Andy Posner 0 comments
Filed under:
At first glance, my body seems to be a paradox: I have a very strong immune system, yet I get sick all the time. What can explain this most intractable of problems? Well, it turns out that my frequent bouts of illness are not related to germs, viruses or infections and, therefore, have nothing to do with the strength or weakness of my immune system. I get sick because I get overly excited. It's that simple. Nearly every time a cascade of ideas, plans and projects washes over me, my body shuts down and starts to ache; my head begins to throb; my eyes get dry and scratchy; and my throat gets sore. It's gotten to the point that I can predict when it will happen-and still be powerless to stop it. The onset of these symptoms wouldn't be so bad-and they aren't that bad, since, as they aren't symptoms of a real cold, they go away much more quickly-if it weren't for the fact that they are part of a larger cycle that goes from idea to excitement to sickness to exhaustion to disappointment. But let me back up for a moment. I should mention that the underlying cause of this cycle is that I demand greatness of myself and, if i feel I am not achieving it, I push myself beyond my limits. I do so for the simple reason that ever since I "discovered" the idealism of the Romantics when I was 16, I have heard people tell me that idealism is but a phase of my life that I would grow out of. I understood even then that it's not that the ideals are bad, but rather that most people choose not to live up to them.
Welcome. On this blog things get a little more personal. This is where I chronicle my struggles and triumphs, my attempts to better myself and my world, my poetry, my prose, my bike rides, my travels, my day-to-day activities. If you want to know more about Andy Posner--that amalgamation of poet and monk--you’ve come to the right place. So have a look around, and enjoy the opportunity to learn what goes on inside my mind--only beware, my mind is quite a place!
- erlyn in Inspiration and Action:
completely agree with the above comment, the internet is with a doubt growing…
- Strategy Name... in The Gardener:
This is a great piec…
- fasat in The Gardener:
Great post! I’m just starting out in community management/marketing…
- January 2012
- November 2011
- August 2011
- July 2011
- June 2011
- February 2011
- November 2010
- October 2010
- March 2010
- December 2009
- October 2009
- September 2009
- July 2009
- June 2009
- May 2009
- April 2009
- February 2009
- January 2009
- December 2008
- November 2008
- October 2008
- September 2008
- August 2008
- July 2008
- June 2008
- May 2008
- April 2008
- March 2008
- February 2008
- January 2008
- December 2007
- November 2007
- October 2007
- September 2007
- August 2007
- Complete Archives
- Category Archives
- Meet My New Folding Bike! (Poetry & Musings)
- Green Microfinance: Advancing Social Equality and Environmental Sustainability in the United States (Ideas)
- Executive Summary of the Capital Good Fund Business Plan (Ideas)
- A Solution to the Limited Success of Micro-Credit in the United States? (Ideas)
- Photos of Some Upgrades to My Bikes! (Poetry & Musings)
Green Microfinance: Advancing Social Equality and Environmental Sustainability in the United States
Click here to download a PDF of my complete thesis. Questions and comments are much appreciated!
My masters thesis in Environmental Studies at Brown University looks at how microfinance--the provision of small…
A Solution to the Limited Success of Micro-Credit in the United States?
Micro-credit has undoubtedly been a runaway success in developing countries as a tool of both poverty alleviation and economic development. To date, some 100 million people have been reached by micro-loans, and Muhammad Yunus, the founder of the Grameen Bank…
Tonight, the Oneness of Things
It is late and my mind should be drifting through the colorful abyss of deep sleep, yet instead i find that tonight sleep will not come. I am like a hungry flower who dreams of bees so ardently that all…