Brent LaRowe - Polymath

Taking note of use

I grew up in a snowbelt of Northern Michigan in the 1990s. I had this strange dichotomy of identity -- both rustic and refined, somehow. Traverse City is a very popular tourist destination, and as such, had a number of things that are close to urban-istic; and on the same token, I lived and worked in environments that demanded care and understanding to prevent a car from becoming inoperable several miles away from anyone that can help. But that "rustic" aspect taught a person that they should have various resources on hand, just in case, and that easily translated into making choices about everything from clothing to vehicles to home improvements based on the "just in case" situation. It was better to have waterproof boots as your main footwear just in case the weather turned terrible and the parking lot was full of slushy snow. It was better to drive a vehicle with good clearance and four-wheel drive just in case a blizzard hit and you suddenly had to drive through feet of snow on your way home.

I think energy is neat

Take a minute to consider your sandwich. The bread, the meat, the cheese. Perhaps some lettuce and tomato. The proper sandwich is also adorned with pickles, mayonnaise, and mustard; perhaps you have an improper sandwich. Think about it like Carl Sagan thinks about pies. Look at each piece of your sandwich and see its path backwards in time. Go further and further back, and you eventually get to the spot where every part needed some sunlight in order to use water, carbon dioxide, nitrogen, and minerals to make itself. Even the ham or pastrami needed a plant along the way.