I am kind of bummed today. I have been using a large SLR camera to take pictures for my Website. Sometimes though it is not convenient to carry such a large item around and my back has been having some issues with carrying around all of this gear everywhere I go. How do parents do it?!
Anyway, I own a small digital camera, a Canon PowerShot SD400, however, I haven’t been using it because the battery wasn’t staying charged for more than a minute or two. So, I broke down and bought the $40 battery (a good one so it wouldn’t die in a few months). It arrived yesterday and I took it with me last evening to try it out. It worked fine. Today I took the camera out to use it and the display is all messed up. It’s as if I dropped it or got water in it, but I didn’t. It’s really weird. If anyone knows what might be wrong with it, I would love to hear from you. I shouldn’t let it get to me, I don’t really need it anyway.
I think today’s recipient would probably agree with that statement. He goes by the name Start Loving.
Those of you who have been to Washington, DC have probably visited this place right?
White House
But how many of you have visited this place?
Start Loving at the Anti-Nuclear Peace Vigil (Photo: Reed)
Well it’s right in front of the White House. The Anti Nuclear Peace Vigil was started in 1981 by Concepción and Thomas. Sadly Thomas passed away last year and now Start has taken his place. It’s hard for me to fully comprehend that when Concepción and Thomas started the vigil I was only seven!
As I approached Start he greeted me, “Hello friend!” He was seated in a low chair with a laptop literally on his lap with a WiFi card plugged in giving him Internet access. I plopped down on the sidewalk next to him and we talked for about an hour. I asked him why he was doing this and he cleverly responded, “Because I’m too greedy to do anything else.” I told Start that I did not get too involved with political issues. Start shared an analogy for why I should be more active that went something like this. “Imagine you come home to find your house engulfed in flames and your loved ones and your worldly possessions trapped inside. Wouldn’t you do everything in your power to save your loved ones and put that fire out? Well our planet is on fire!”
Check out this video of me talking to Start. I think you will be shocked to learn about the life Start left behind to follow his heart.
You might disagree with some of his views, but what is unquestionable is his conviction and passion.
Start Loving (Photo: Reed)
In case you are wondering, yes the tattoos on his face are real. Did you try to stop the video and enlarge it to read what they said? Well, I will save you the work. From left to right on his forehea are: “STOP STARVING” ‘START LOVING” “STOP KILLING.” Below that it reads “WAGE LOVE OR DIE.”
You can visit Start’s Facebook Page and the Anti-Nuclear Peace Vigil website to find out some of the specific items that he feels are in desperate need of immediate action.
Here is something that I took from his page:
MY RELIGION (same as Jesus, King, Gandhi, Teresa, Romero, Eleanor, Obamas…): Universal Love.
PEACE: is the presence of Universal Love.
WAR: HOSTILITY is the presence of Conditional Love.
MY FAMILY (same as Jesus, King, Gandhi, Teresa, Romero, Eleanor…): All people born and unborn.
QUOTE: “The greatest madness of all is to see things as they are, and not as they should be.” Cervantes, Man of La Mancha.
It was such a pleasure to have the opportunity to speak with him. “Millions of people visit the White House every year, but only a few come over here to visit,” Start tells me. I encourage everyone to stop by and talk to Start. If you are near the White House between 6am-10:30am and most evenings from 7pm-10pm (sometimes he is not there in the evening when he delivers bread to local shelters) stop by and talk with Start. Concepción, who I didn’t meet, is usually at the vigil other times. Sometimes when neither can be there a friend will man the vigil.
Start is going to give the $10 to a hero of humanity. Maybe someone doing a hunger strike. I asked him if I could help him with anything on the Lend a Hand page. He said he couldn’t think of anything, not even a new pair of shoes to replace his sandals that are held together with tape. He later did think of something. He said that Concepción needs a working laptop to use for email and Internet browsing. If someone has a computer please reach out to me or Start.
I asked Start if he would do this for the rest of his life. “I will, unless I find something that benefits humanity more than this.” He gave me a big hug and we shook hands and I walked home.
UPDATE: May 17, 2010
Start shared his experience giving my $10 away on his blog today!
Year of Giving 
Start L. is a genius. What a brave soul! He ditched everything “normal”, and is now attempting to aid humanity. I agree with everything he believes in!
I love your blog! I wouldn’t mind trying something like this on my own. It’s different from yours, but fun. http://www.wallstreetstripper.com
The camera display: condensation? Try getting some of those silca gel bags (you know the things they say you mustn’t eat), put the camera and the gel in close proximity somewhere nice and warm but with enough space that any moisture can be driven off. Good luck!
Thanks Ian. I can try that. I can’t imagine that that much condensation would have built up in it, but you never know. -Reed
Sorry to hear about your camera. It does sound like it was dropped or something. I ruined the LCD of one of my cameras last year when I fell. I was shocked that it broke it, as I didn’t think the impact was enough to damage it.
I don’t know where you keep the camera, but if it was in a bag with other things, I suppose it is possible too much pressure on the LCD ruined it. And if you bought a battery from a 3rd party (that is, not from the manufacturer of your camera), I suppose there is a chance the battery malfunctioned causing the damage.
The upside is it isn’t terribly expensive to get a new camera. The bummer is you just spent $40 on a new battery. And while you may be able to advertise that battery on craigslist and get some of the money back, I doubt you’ll get more than $20.
Ryan, thanks for the note. I keep it in the manufacturer’s case which has a belt loop option. Perhaps yesterday I leaned up against something and damaged it, I don’t know. I bought the battery from Canon, so shouldn’t be related to that. -Reed
They learn to get by but will tell you that as they get older they do have problems. My mother has a bad back now because of it and her Knee’s are also bad so it does catch up to you.
If it is a moisture problem, dropping it in a box of rice will also work to draw the moisture out. I’ve used this on cell phones that have gotten wet and brought them back to life.
This is a truly inspiring journey that you have created for yourself and I am lucky to be, simply, a reader of the wonderful things you are encountering. I’ve only recently discovered your site but CANNOT stop singing the praises of you and the work you are doing!
I have several laptops I would like to give to powerful causes. Please let me know how I could get a computer to Start
I would reach out to him on Facebook at Start Loving1 or if you don’t have access to Facebook you can ship it to me (assuming you are not in the DC area) and I can deliver it to him. – Reed
Start is doing something he is passionate about and obviously
he believes in it . He made a comment about not being able
to change things from within . I would like to ask him if he has
changed anything from the outside , or with hunger strikes or
any other of the tactics he tries .
Other than bringing awareness to the many serious issues he
supports , I would ask Start if he could have assisted in some
way financially when he worked in I.T. and used his contacts ,
expertise , and money to try to bring about some change .
I have no problem with what he and his friends are doing , I
just do not see much changing as a result of their dedication ,
devotion , passion , and efforts . I feel there are more effective
ways to change or improve on the many problems that plague
this planet we call Earth .
Having said that , I want Start to know i am glad to hear his story . I think he is highly intelligent and I wish him only the best as he continues to at least try to do something .
Something similar happened to my camera too. There was no traum to the camera, but the screen seemed shattered.
I believe in many of the things that Start said, however calling the them crazy Israeli brothers was way out of line. That shows hate and isnt his whole purpose to stop the hate? He can say his views and I respect them completely, but namecalling is never the way.
absolutely love what you are doing!!! It inspires me! However, just one question, where do you get the $10 from a day being unemployed?
I am 36, single, and have no children. I have been fortunate to have good jobs all my life and have managed my finances well. I am using my savings. -Reed
“PEACE: is the presence of Universal Love.
WAR: HOSTILITY is the presence of Conditional Love. ”
What a simple but true statement.
I think a lot of people are starting to look at work in a different way now. People are becoming less necessary to do a lot of jobs now due to automation and technology. I think this allows us to follow more fulfilling pursuits. Even if Start is not directly changing things maybe he feels like he is using his time in a positive manner.
I hope I have the guts one day to change my career to a field that directly makes a positive change or influence on people.
[…] days ago I shared with you the story of Start Loving who I met in front of the White House. He fills in tending to the Peace Vigil that Concepcion […]
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