I am studying a lot of vocabulary for the GRE and have subscribed to a vocabulary podcast to listen to while on the way to work. On Monday, the word ‘resourceful’ popped up. Listening to the definition and example sentences made me look back at how resourceful I’ve been throughout my life, and how valuable this quality is. The SAT was one memory revisited, already speaking about standardized tests. The day I took the SAT, I arrived just before the test started, and had to sit at a wobbly table. I used one of my extra pencils as a shim for the shorter leg, stabilizing the table. It didn’t give me an awesome score, but it likely prevented me from annoying the shit out of pretty much everyone, including myself. It also felt so cool doing it. “Oh this is a wobbly table, hmm, no problem… where’s the test?”

I’ve looked at several definitions since hearing the podcast as most definitions prize skill, effectiveness, and imagination, but disregard one’s ability with a resource when citing the characteristics of one who is resourceful. To say the least, I’m most attracted to Merriam-Webster’s:

resourceful: able to meet situations; capable of devising ways and means.

When I think about the new technologies and designs that are constantly appearing on Treehugger or Inhabitat, I get a sense that engineers, architects, designers, and planners understand the success of their work will be measured by how resourceful it is. And ‘resourceful’ as in devising, creating within limitations. I think my generation’s artifacts and approaches will attempt to meet many needs/work towards many goals at one time, similar to Manfred Max-Neef’s ’synergistic satisfier’. Green architecture now, for example, creates buildings that suit their purpose but fit creatively into their economic, ecological, and aesthetic contexts.

I’d like to think there’s another sense of the word ‘resourceful.’ We’d separate re- from -sourceful and, like redo or rethink; ‘resourceful’ can turn into a term embodying the idea of going back and creating new sources. Repurposing soda and water bottles for greenhouses, reclaiming wood for construction, and the awesomeness of biomimicry can all be good examples of new sources we’ve found. One kid at my high school bus-stop could turn an apple or a to-go cup into a bong in under three minutes. Desire and/or necessity spark creativity; the creative use resources wisely, and thus innovation results. So, check out the PEG and the FreeCharge. Amazing and small devices that create energy while you walk/bike:

A book that I’m currently reading, The Botany of Desire by Michael Pollan, defines ‘artifact’ in a fascinating way when clarifying Charles Darwin’s approach to artificial selection:

artifact: a thing reflecting human will (xxii)

I think looking at our emerging green products, buildings, and programs as artifacts in this sense can reveal what we value as well as infuse humanity into our work: Our sustainable designs reflect our willingness to act mindfully of/within our ecosystem, they show we wish to hold on to our varying traditions, and they emphasize our commitments to social and personal health.

This is a film selected to be shown at COP15 next month. A special “test screening” of Climate Refugees will be held in Fort Collins, CO on Nov. 15th at 6pm. The trailer is viewable on the website, just click the above poster image. Be sure to look at the interview list; it’s impressive. Anyway, I plan to go and see the film, then post about it afterward. More likely, if the film presents any strategies for dealing with refugees, I will be posting on those. The location of the screening follows:

Lory Student Center Theater
8033 Campus Delivery
Fort Collins, CO 80523

Tickets: 970.491.4849

Christmas is slowly approaching. I make more money than usual with all the generous holiday tips, and its hard to look at my wad of cash and not put it to work, so after I splurge a bit on friends and family, I maximize the effectiveness of that moolah. Usually, I rearrange my technology setup based on one goal: to have broad functionality with the least number of devices.

Last year I sold my Game Boy Micro and got a PSP… and then I modded it. My PSP can emulate all sorts of old school games I have from way-back-when, it can display ebooks, and it can function as a remote control because of its infrared connectivity. Did I just confess that I’m a nerd? Well, this year I plan to outdo myself.

Eventually, if I get into a graduate program for Urban Planning, I will need to update my computer to be able to run the current GIS software. The best plan I see now… instead of going out on impulse and getting a compatible computer this year, would be to save up and get a laptop once I know what my program will require. Probably, I will need to run Windows. Right now, I have a G5 iMac, and an iPod touch. Until I get into school and need the new computer, I could (in theory) do this: get a PS3, install a Linux distribution, use Wine to operate iTunes for my iPod, sell my G5, and put that money aside for a new laptop. In the end, I wouldn’t go without a computer (or my iPod), I’d gain a state-of-the-art videogame system, a blue-ray player (for Wall-E and Baraka), and roughly $300 in savings.

It also seems like I’d be able to run some GIS programs through Linux for practice before hitting the big leagues.

PS3 running Fedora:

The other benefits of this switch will be the following two games:

The Last Guardian looks especially good after just finishing the novel, Life of Pi.

So yes, in my opinion, games are getting better these days; although, I would like to see  Sustainable Sim City. Just think of all the benefits if a game was made as broad and interactive as Sim City 2000 but updated to include today’s challenges and thus today’s work-in-progress solutions. Players could build their cities but try out so many new arrangements, technologies, and aesthetics. And with the computational capacity of hardware, we could watch different strategies interact. Long story short, I’d buy it. Many other older gamers would too. Someone just has to make it. I did a search for ‘Sustainable Sim City’ and this popped up. Neat to see that major cities are using this, including Denver.

An ongoing series of articles that document the Urban Homesteader’s movement in Denver, CO

The Urbavore’s Dilemma: Getting down and dirty with Denver’s backyard farmers

Well, I have some more music to share.  Considering I hardly post on music anymore, but listen to so much of it, it will feel good to spread the love. A good deal of what follows is what I listened to through the late summer:

Nicolai Dunger

I only have one song by this guy. But it got a ton of playlist time… Last Night I Dreamt of Mississippi.

Blitzen Trapper

Most likely you’ve heard of these guys. I don’t watch cable, but I’d assume they have a video or two in rotation on the college MTV-like channels. If I’ve caught you unawares of these dudes, be sure to check out “Furr,” and “Big Black Bird” on the band’s Myspace page.

Mos Def

This album got heavy play. And:

Auditorium

Quiet Dog

Memory Tapes

It seems Memory Tapes has finally gone viral. You can’t make it through a day without seeing this dude appear on an mp3 blog.

I was hooked with the Magic Sequence mix, although for the Plain Material song I do feel the Passion Pitty vocals are a bit abrasive. “Green Knight” is a cool one.

Washed Out

The three songs I have by this dude are good, really good.  But what keeps me from really loving the stuff is (big surprise) the vocals. I just want to hear what is being sung.

Two of them are here.

The Smith Westerns

Yeah, just click on the picture. Put a song of theirs on a CD mix for E in Chicago without realizing Chi-town is the band’s home sweet home. The gorgeous young woman (whom I should have asked out when I had the chance) will hopefully have seen them play by the time she pops that CD into her computer.

Miscellaneous

Very summery… Princeton’s “Calypso Gold“

Yeasayer’s “Sunrise“ was one of the repeats on the way to work.

I think LP3 was a slightly more evolved album; Ratatat traveled into Animal Collective territory a bit. The album still got acceptable feedback, but reviewers seem to be bothered about Ratatat not having lyrics. Aren’t we allowed to enjoy the possibilities/potentialities of the musical instrument? Anyway, check out this track with Kid Cudi… great for that halloween party you have coming up.

I’m currently waiting to get Likki Li and the newer M.I.A., Kala. Kinda missed these two releases.

Fall has arrived. For others it means lots of football watching and… Well I’m not sure, school. For me, it means the best portion of my wardrobe comes out, I go to coffeeshops more often, and I get a swiming pass. Largely, this annual change in behavior is an attempt to stay visible to the opposite sex. Covering oneself with a heavy blanket and grabbing a book, playing Mario Kart with your roommate, or lifting weights in the basement are all pleasurable activties, but they nix the chances of running into a likeminded, attractive woman.

I may be alone in this, but I feel like the music I listen to changes along with the seasons. I am intrigued by this. Will other people make a drastic change away from rap to jazz or something mellow and acoustic like Iron and Wine? What inspires this shift, if it’s common? Are we cueing ourselves to move to a slower pace of lifestyle for staying inside during the winter? Is it some psychological result of life around us entering hibernation? Anyway, I feel inclined to throw together a simple post with what’s currently playing in my living room/car/on my iPod.

J. Tillman via Aquarium Drunkard

Carlos Barbosa-Lima:

Aphex Twin’s slower songs are as relaxing as they are beautiful:

Sheet music here.

“I and Love and You” by The Avett Brothers via Spinner

and last but not least, Kings of Convenience.