Update

Well, I haven't posted in over 10 weeks....and now Spring is starting, but what do they recommend? Write everyday for 10, 20 minutes to get in the flow. Let's see how disciplined I can be. Maybe instead of playing Sudoku (my renewed addiction) I can just post a few more thoughts on what's happening....

So what has happened (house-wise) since February? Well, the news seems to be spreading and I'm getting more and more publicity -- which is good, because then there's more people who can find out about the simple things I did to lower my energy footprint without a reduction in comfort.

So here are the events that happened to date this year:

• In January 2008 I gave a presentation at the Rochester Public Library Fundraiser "Wine, Wit, and Wisdom". Among the five or six sessions, my presentation--along with a talk by Tim Penny--drew the most interest among the guests. The Post Bulletin photographer got a high-quality shot of me presenting on "SMART" conservation (simple, meaningful, achievable, realistic, and technology). It seems like I was comparing two aspects...hence my "preacher pose". (Although I'm not afraid to be accused of proselytizing what I am doing).
  
• Also in January 2008, on a cold, snowy Monday night, I gave a presentation to the Southeastern Minnesota Chapter of IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) at Mann Hall in the Medical Sciences Building. Surprisingly enough, over 130 people showed up, meaning that not only the Pizza was gone 20 minutes before the presentation started, but also the auditorium was packed almost to the last seat. Typically their monthly chapter meeting draws about 20-30 people. As I found out after the meeting, people drove from as far as Austin (40 miles southwest), Faribault (50 miles northwest), and La Crescent (70 miles southeast).
  
• Last week, during Earth Day Week, I was invited by an Environmental Engineer at the local IBM facility here in Rochester to give a Noon presentation about my house. Again, over 120 people showed up.
  
• This Sunday, May 4, I will give a tour to a group of "Advanced Placement Environmental Studies" students that my friend Sue and fellow Eagle Bluff board member is teaching.
  
• Next Tuesday, May 6, I am going to give a presentation at a local community college, the Rochester Technical and Community college. This speaking arrangement was organized by my friend Alex, the same who also helped me tremendously with building the house.
  
• Next Friday, May 9, I will then give a tour to 15 participants of a class at Eagle Bluff titled "Living Green" which is part of Eagle Bluff's "Women in the Outdoors" weekend.
  
• On May 10, then, I have a public Open House from 9 AM to 5 PM followed by a Potluck Open House for my colleagues from work, starting at 6 PM.
  

So that's the update for now...not much topical, I know.

Oh, and a fellow Lanesborian wrote a nice article about my rainwater collection system for a Farm Magazine and Mary Whalen from Spring Valley wants to do an article too - and I'd like it to focus on Conservation, because that's something everybody can do!