Lester Brown

I do admit I have conflicting feelings about celebrity.

I remember one day years ago, when I was married to a very different fellow. He owned four restaurants. One evening, there was a festival and I was outside the first, main, restaurant, at the podium admitting guests with reservations. XH came outside. "Guess what! Larry Czonka is inside! Would you like to come sit on his lap?" Apparently inside the restaurant legions of giggling females were lining up to sit on the man's lap.
Confused, I turned to look at XH. "Why would I sit on his lap?" I was truly bewildered.
"Well, he won the Super Bowl 12 years ago!"
In retrospect, I realize XH was confused at my own confusion.
"Er, has he done anything lately?"
XH clearly thought I was being mean. I really just didn't get it.

Although this retelling clarifies why he is X-H -- parallel lines of communication, never converging -- it demonstrates my own feelings about celebrity.

Last night the local college hosted a speaker who is known round the world: Lester Brown. Please click on that hyperlink! It is amazing.

I had made reservations to go, last month when the college hosted two speakers who rehabbed 60's-style rancher houses, both in "green" fashion.

Our little college has clearly made a commitment to distinguishing itself by being involved in the environmental movement. We have a lovely Center for the Environment. The building itself is amazing. Heated by geothermal. Bamboo floors. Recycled carpets. Dual-flush johns. I forget all the bells & whistles. The director is recognized pretty much nationally. So they sponsor speakers pretty much every month.

I was considering not attending as I have a wicked cold, the second in a month.

LO was sleeping over with a gf, as today is a school holiday. DH was working last night. It was actually the perfect evening for some Me Time. Still, I was thinking about staying home.

I worked all morning, writing, and cleaned the LR in the afternoon. We had had a fire in the fireplace recently and all the furniture had a fine film of ash. I had not yet gotten the shutters or bookshelves when DH asked me if I, in fact, planned to go to the presentation. I really just did not feel too great.

"I don't know," I demurred. "I'm really on a roll in the LR."

"Listen," DH said. "The LR will always be right here. You admire Lester Brown and he is only here once. Promise me you will go."

So, I went. It was crazy as a gf called me to come over and help her on the computer. Then I had to ferry LO's bag to her gf's house. All this was between 5 and 6. The doors for the presentation opened at 6. I had to hustle.

But I did. It was... wonderful.

When Lester came out, he was just as humble as could be. It was sort of amazing. Pressed shirt, signature bow tie, sport coat, khakis and running shoes. At 75 or so, he is trim and fit.

You know how, when you watch a Shakespeare play, you stay a line or two behind in the dialogue as your brain translates the lines into what you can understand? Or when you are speaking with someone in your second language? That's how I was last night.

He reeled numbers off the top of his head with facility. I am wishing now that I had taken notes. He spoke with passion about opportunities for wind-generated electricity. A nationwide power grid. The cost of nuclear vs. wind. The opportunity to drive hybrid cars with the optional additional battery and plug-in pack, powered with electricity from wind. No emissions! -- not even from the power generation~! 142 mpg vs. the normal 48. This is only one elementary example of his many concepts.

I guess it was actually part of a book tour, as he was speaking from his latest book, Plan B, 3.0. If you haven't read it, please do. If you haven't read it, please don't slam his concepts.

I chose to skip the reception and book-signing. I did not want to sniffle and cough on folks, and really wanted to just put on my jammies and have a cup of tea. So I headed home.

My head was reeling as I left. I was so energized, so inspired, so motivated, that I actually had a hard time settling down for bed.

This is a conservative town. Yet the auditorium was packed -- mostly with adults from town, not college students. The man got TWO standing ovations: one when he completed his remarks, and one when Q&A was over. He humbly waved us off.

The man has devoted his adult life to making our planet a better place. He looks into the future to see what can be, and works to make it happen. He challenges us to do our parts. He meets with heads of state to consult on resolutions to perplexing problems. He could have retired years ago. But his work isn't done. So, he keeps working.

Now, that's celebrity.