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Acknowledgments

I’VE NOTICED THAT the “Acknowledgments” section of my books is getting longer over the years. It could be that I am becoming increasingly indebted, thereby needing more space for “thankyous,” or perhaps I am learning better to share my gratitude.

Whatever the case, I need to thank Tami and the boys for suffering through yet another book. It could be they like leaving town so that I can have the kitchen table in peace, but I secretly hope they wish I could tag along on their many adventures.

Tami needs standalone recognition. She’s not only a great speller, she reads with a sharp eye, and more importantly, she coasts through her husband’s angst and writerly horrors with ease and aplomb.

And I would like to thank my daughters Jessalyn and Kaitlin for being sounding boards and for offering feedback on some of my ideas. Jessalyn continues to remind me of my many “flops,” and Kaitlin tends to offer a healthy skepticism for everything I do. I’d also like to acknowledge their mother Megan, who suffered through my early years of “wanting to be a writer,” but who never got to experience the pain of when it “came true.”

I also need to mention my brothers Glen and Jim, whose stalwart support has kept me going through the very dark days that followed the death of our brother Mark. Decades ago, when I had dropped out of school to write short stories, my brother Mark took me in so that I could try my hand at writing a novel. His only requirement was that I “work all day, every day.” And I did that. I suppose I should also be grateful to the mice in our attic that have done a great service to literature by using those early manuscripts as nesting materials.

My parents, Ann and Don, belong high on the list. I should thank Mom for offering me her typewriter as a toy for me to play with in elementary school. And for her deep love of reading and rigorous intellect. And I should thank Dad for consistently giving me the courage to try things, even when they fail. He always used to say, “You’re young. If it doesn’t work out you can always do something different.” He doesn’t say that so much anymore, but that’s OK. One of these days one of my ideas is going to hit it big, Dad. Honest.

And of course I need to thank the people of Piedmont Biofuels, and everyone else associated with our project. I don’t dare name them all for fear of leaving an important person out, but these stories would not be possible without the hard work and dedication of everyone — from interns gone by to former employees and tenants, to those who have stood beside me in a grueling quest to find a “different way of being.”

I do need to specifically thank those who have shared desks next to mine in our Control Room. That would include Piedmont cofounders Rachel Burton and Leif Forer; the creator of our designbuild business David Thornton; and the creator of our Research and Analytics arm, Greg Austic. And I would be remiss if I forgot to include the sheer delight I derive from my working relationship with Chris Jude and Nick Fox, both of whom perpetually annoy me by wasting my precious time with the “facts.” I’ve also greatly enjoyed the company, ideas, and performance of both Spencer and Amanda, who try to keep their desks far from mine in order to get their work done.

I must also thank John Breckenridge for his sage wisdom and advice, and Fran Hamilton for the same thing, plus her skilled massages. And I would like to thank Betsy Breckenridge for allowing me to use her splendid house on Topsail Island where I could work to the rhythm of waves, rather than the sound of children screaming over their Wii conquests.

I also need to thank my readers, who have criticized, fed back, complimented, and cheered over the years. I think of John Ousterhout, who occasionally vents, often comments thoughtfully, and sometimes merely corrects my thinking. And I think of those readers of Energy Blog that have posted, and railed and sometimes cheered for the ideas I have published there. To that end I need to pay special thanks to Ingrid Witvoet for not only leaving her island of Gabriola and making the trek to Pittsboro, but also for pulverizing ideas with me and encouraging me to write even when the struggle was evident.

I’m grateful to Bob and Camille Armantrout and everyone who attends Thursday Night Potluck at our bend in the Moncure Road. Bob and Camille arrived in our community thinking it would be a good place to weather the impending collapse of society, and they have become esteemed elders and dear friends along the way.

Of course I need to thank those dedicated and downtrodden workers in the “policy layer” — from grant-makers to scientific advisors to law-makers — who have taken the time to wrap their heads around our project and support us in various and sundry ways. Special thanks go to Larry Shirley, who is now North Carolina’s “Green Jobs Czar,” for inspiring us to keep the faith, and to Steven Burke at the North Carolina Biofuels Center for his patience, understanding, and commitment to the biofuels endeavor.

Finally, I thank our customers, which include everyone from Coop members who drive around on our artisanal fuel, to eaters who consume our sustainably produced food, to those who buy our co-products, to oil companies who buy our biodiesel. I am especially grateful to Brian Potter of Potter Oil for sustaining a vision of biodiesel in North Carolina and for including us in his journey.