WARHORSES: PCHS Students, Dr. DeSimone, Dustin Carter, Will Smith, and Mike Rowe

Hey, this blog post is a bit lengthy. Just warning you, sustained reading and listening involved. Might take you a while if you're interested...


I've been asked several times lately,"Where is all this going?" The "this" being the WARHORSE, the soaps, the biodiesel school project, the company. What's the next steps? I don't know where it's going, and I'm not going to worry or fret about it. This all happened as an experiment of sorts, with the help and inspiration of some VERY YOUNG people--my students and ex students--all under the age of 22. Five years ago I had no expectations other than taking my senior English student Elizabeth's senior graduation project and exploring it myself--recycling soybean oil to biofuel. (WLOS Channel 13 news)










Liz and her uncle Bob making a one liter sample of biofuel. Liz is still
working with our project, years later.
Channel 7 story



Now it's biofuel byproducts to soaps, to biofuel school projects, to backyard hobby to little be kind solutions company, to maybe working with some local oldies and some ex students for my WARHORSE team--a young WARHORSE in Savannah, several in Asheville, one in Greenville at the Dark Corner Distillery, several energetic WARHORSEs here locally (Down the road, maybe I can hire Clayton Carey, who plans to graduate from NC State in chemical engineering, maybe an internship at least. Clayton became interested in this journey while experimenting with biofuel in his AP Chem class last year at our high school). Don't know for sure what comes next, but I do know my motivation comes from my students and my teaching. Here's a few pics of some motivated students, including our bio visit to Appalachian State for some collaboration.


RS Central senior made oil run and preparing to load processor. Titration and testing.















Visited Appalachian State on a fact-finding mission to gather info and support for our PCHS Collaborative Green Project

PCHS will soon be offering an accredited science course
in biofuel chemistry. The innovation engine is churning.















Heck, everybody and their brother makes a soap, a cleaner, a body wash. But not like mine. It's different because it comes from a different place of origin--no business plan, no marketing plan, no goals other than to experiment, to get out of the English box and into a dirty, innovative, exciting project, and to bring some students along for the ride. Maybe soon I'll have to get more formal with all this, but right now I'm still experimenting, exploring--research and development.

Even now, with sales and customers growing a little, it ain't just all about the soap, the biodiesel, the unusual sustainable process, or the growth of Be Kind Solutions. That all has just been a manifestation of the impact of my students, my desire to "walk the walk," to show them learning and experimentation can be dirty, chaotic, scary, dynamic, defeating, and inspiring. It's about how my students have inspired me. I owe them an example of the entrepreneurial spirit; of the fear of immigrating into a new world--aging English teacher to biofuel chemistry, to glycerin and soap chemistry; to learning from my own teacher, Bob Russell (above with Elizabeth); to failing and looking for another way, to being the solution to a problem, to working hard, to moving forward, to getting dirty.

Our country needs WARHORSES!
Some of my students and I admire these guys. Many days before we dive into rhetorical analysis, we take a hit of Dustin Carter, or someone like him, to remind us we have no excuse for negativity, for laziness, for defeatism. Mike Rowe weaves a narrative about work ethic and the value of skilled labor. Watch his 20 minute reflective analysis on what has happened to our work ethic--I agree with him wholeheartedly--work has become a dirty word--indeed, we have waged a cold war against "work." I especially like the talk at time 15:15 because Mike nails what I believe is the root problem that America has created. Hit the links below for some inspiration. My students and I do it just about every day.

I, along with our teachers and some students, had the chance to listen to Dr. DeSimone speak about our country's need for innovation, risk-taking, work ethic, and collaboration. I had the chance to speak with him.

Dr. DeSimone, if you remember what you told me, I'm at the point where I need the help you offered. To use your words, "We need risk-takers, people ready to jump, and institutions with resources should be willing to help." I've jumped. Our Burroughs Wellcome science grants require collaboration and letters of support for our plans to build an eco complex, biofuel processor, innovative tech lab on our high school campus. Your support and vitae would be valuable. bekindsolutions.com if you want more info. Did you get my previous 3 emails?

Joseph DeSimone Chancellor’s Eminent Professor of Chemistry at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and William R. Kenan Jr. Professor of Chemical Engineering at North Carolina State University.Cancer Research. Maybe the next recipient of the Nobel Prize for Medicine

Dustin Carter goes to state

Will Smith and his ridiculous work ethic

Mike Rowe talks to Congress about need for skilled labor

These people are tireless WARHORSES, and they inspire me and my students.

I owe my students more than a stagnant, stale, bitter, disconnected teacher who, just like many of them, dreads Mondays, dreads the predictable rows of desks, dreads the drone of my voice. I owe them more than a dead, dispassionate, apathetic teacher who thinks the world has gone to hell in a hand basket, that teenagers are hopeless. I could easily slip into apathy, into 50% mode, of busy work mode and into "I need a vacation mode," of "If I can just hang on until retirement."

I owe them more than metaphors, literary criticism, Shakespeare. I owe them more than the skill to produce a tightly constructed complex sentence. I owe them more than lectures about how they should all go to a 4 year college. Somebody, take me out if I ever get to this. Put me out of my misery, so I don't spread it to my students, like an invisible but insidious virus.

Someone could ask one of my former students who just got a new job at the local Ingles grocery store, "Girl, where did you get this negative attitude and pitiful work ethic?" My ex-student could say," "Oh, that? I got if from my 9th grade English teacher, Mrs. Weicker. I did spend over 135 hours with her, over 8,100 minutes, so she did have a big influence me, I guess. Then double that when I had her again as a senior. Wow, I spent more time with her than I did my parents."

Ah yes, teacher and student alike, "It's almost Friday, thank God it's Friday, Wish it were Friday. I'm bored."

This biofuel-soap-school-company journey has saved me from myself, saved me from the grumpy English teacher I could still become. No way, no going back now.

I truly feel sorry for our young people because the future is so tough--college grads can't find jobs, families lose incomes, gas prices rise, war looms steadily, drug use, national debt, health care.... Whew, what's a teenager to do? Suck it up, as I might say? Hard to do without some strong work ethic, fortitude, resilience, tenacity. And it takes practice, experiences, failure, suffering, confidence, rigor, high expectations, praise, tough love to get these.

The WARHORSE (never seen the movie but my WARHORSE might share the same heart and drive) was born from my sea of students, out of their hope, out of their fearsome futures. If we, the older generations, ever say, "Kids these days, no work ethic, no dreams, no responsibility," we made them who they are. Our "culture" shaped them. If we want to say our young people have no work ethic, no initiative, no accountability, maybe many of us didn't create the opportunities for them to grow and develop one. Maybe we don't have them either. Maybe we're just chillin', coastin', sleepin', ZZZZzzzzn', stonin', zonin'. Somebody had to create the monter..it takes a village, remember. Enabling? Been there done this myself.

Teenagers, or any of us for that matter, can't just go get a work ethic.

"Check, got the work ethic, I'm ready to face this tough world now." Not how it works, is it?

Here's some examples of work ethic and accountability killers--from the older, wiser generations. Actions most often speak louder than words, and we're supposed to provide the opportunity for these youngsters to learn responsibility. BTW, I'm dropping the quotation marks because I don't feel like using them.

1-God, I'm glad it's Friday
2-Everybody gets a trophy, even if for whining, missing practices, and refusing to pass the ball to teammates.
3-Money = success and happiness
4-I hate Mondays!
5- I want a job where I work less.
6-Pay for it later. Where's the credit card?
7-Where's the Roundup, I'm not pulling the weeds.
8-You're going to community college?
9-You want to be a mechanic? Really? That's it? C'mon.
10- I think I'm going to have a headache, I'm calling in sick.
11-My kid deserves another free pass (and another, and another).
12- Here's your cell phone upgrade and a texting package, little Tommy. Just don't use it in math class dear because it's not your strongest subject.
13-Don't do as I do, do as I say
14-I just can't function today, my boyfriend has been a jerk for the last 5 years
15-lots of reality television, I Wanna Be a Rockstar
16-machines do most of the work for us
17-Here's your new smart phone upgrade, little Tommy. And don't lose it like your Ipod.
18-That coach is going to hear from me, my kid needs more playing time.
19-Just quit if you don't like it.
20-I hate my job.

I never allow myself to say "Thank God it's Friday." There's a few times where I thought my Fridays, any next day, might not arrive. I like Mondays, Monday mornings facing my students who often dread, cringe from semicolons, who fade from the essay instructions, who languish in the boxes of block walls, hard desks, and hospital grey walls. Really, can you blame them? Plus, look what our culture may have shown them, what we have shown them, what we have done.

My mother, father, grandparents all had a strong work ethic--it's called survival of the fittest, don't work don't eat. I have had a lifetime to develop mine--big gardens, carrying wood, chores, chores, no money for college. My husband Carl inherited his oil rig work ethic from his German immigrant great grandparents who struggled to survive on the South Side of Chicago. Regardless of success or money, all the Weicker kids did physical labor. There's value in carrying heavy concrete forms, trudging through mud, smashing your finger with a hammer and still working on, pushing oneself past the point of fatigue, past the point of frustration. There's value in a day's hard labor. Honesty and work ethic are values that all employers want, but have to look for in their applicants. Who can I trust to do the job? Who will do the right thing? Who can pass a drug test? Who won't whine? Who treats others with respect?

The WARHORSE is my daily reminder that I owe my students the chance to develop a work ethic, to test themselves, to feel some academic growing pains, to laugh a little, to be a leader, to be a team player. My WARHORSE says Man UP, Woman UP, Don't be afraid to fail, I love Mondays, No we're not watching a movie because it's Friday, C'mon, Nobody falls behind, Will Smith, Mike Rowe, Dustin Carter, DeSimone. You're either part of the problem or part of the solution. The WARHORSE is talking to me, by the way. This is my mantra. Actions speak louder than words.

Back to the question, where's the WARHORSE going?

Maybe this blog article helped me discover my goals--grow Warhorse with some of my former students--a WARHORSE team. Maybe I can offer them a place to discover, fine-tune, practice their skills on the way to their dreams. Or, maybe the WARHORSE stays in my backyard, and gallops on over to my classroom and school, on every Great Monday and every Good Friday, just like it has been for the past 5 years. Either journey is still a pretty interesting ride.

Yes, I'm Materialistic

It’s going to sound trite or materialistic to admit that I have a few “things” or material possessions that I really love because someone special made it, or a unique material or process was used, or because the craftsmanship and material are special.

For example, Garland Rice, retired Polk County High School construction teacher, made me several oak tables from a piece of red oak that came from Deep Gap, a secluded range of small mountains that sleeps between Cooper’s Gap, World’s Edge, and Edneyville, NC. I used to live there in an 1864 farmhouse—middle of nowhere and lovely, dark, and deep. Every time I prop my feet on the big table, I think about this place.

Also, I love the simple design of the sturdy tables,

and appreciate their primitive elegance.

Bartering is common with us, so Garland traded wood for wild game. Garland never does anything halfhearted. I know this because I listened to his students who so admired him and his passion for teaching them the value of using their hands and their brains.

I love his tables (can’t call them “coffee tables” because it sounds too trite, cliche, mundane.

It gets pretty intense around the table. Tonight we're playing a

word game Apples to Apples,

and Lyndsey is losing because Cole is getting outside the box.

I love my candleholder handcrafted by a local forest ranger and wood craftsman. It is a work of art.

He also makes the most beautiful wooden bowls, using local materials from my neck of the woods. The candle holder looks great beside Cole’s hand-gathered and handcrafted antler lamp.I know Dan, his wife, and his daughters. In fact, I taught his girls in high school. I love the passion he has for his craft. I hate to love “things,” but I do. If you want to appreciate his talent, visit his website Dan Loudermelt’s Tree Treasures.

I love Jody Durham’s soy candles. Jody searched for the highest quality soy, and tested and poured before he settled on his recipe and ingredients. I know Jody, Deanna, and their 2 daughters. In fact, I taught both of them in high school.

When I light one, the wonderful scent is enhanced by the craftsmanship that goes into each of them. Check out his new company Small Time Candles. Tonight, the Clean Cotton scent is working nicely, as Cole made us dinner by tenderly sautéing some fresh fish (ok, he rolled it in cornmeal and fried it to a crisp with a side of Heinz ketchup, filling the kitchen and living room with a “cooked,” heavy smell). Jody is a creative photographer as well. One of his photographs is particularly unforgettable. I’m not sentimental about weddings, but this photo from his gallery is unforgettable—the bride almost disappears into the clouds. Symbolism and metaphor abound. I love this photograph.

When I visit Julia and Stan Yoder’s Open Road Coffee in Tryon, I feel good somehow, because the owners are genuine—they love their shop.

You can just tell—the handcrafted chocolate sauce that goes on my mocha latte, the homemade pastries…the coffee is awesome, and even better because the Yoders smile a lot, because their children are often nearby, because the greet their customers with genuine interest. Once I get my smooth coffee, I can sit on the outside patio, inside, or step on over the New to You Re-Use It Shop. I’ve got several handmade scarves I love. Yes, they’re flattering, but better yet I can imagine the crafter mulling over colored streams of soft cotton. There’s lots of brand name clothing that is mildly worn, and I often get some great finds. My sister and I fought over this gladiator outfit just last Saturday.

It might be great to wear on family night while we watch Troy, Gladiator, 300, or Titus Andronicus.

My student Hope’s apple pie creation is almost too good to eat, but after some pics and accolades, I sent it on up to M & M in Hendersonville (one slice missing), as I knew this would add some discussion to the regular lunch break.

Supposedly, someone said, “This %@$# pie looks too good to eat…this %@$# pie is the best I’ve ever eaten.” Hope’s pie is both—tart, tasty, tantalizing. I say sell them on her college campus and pay for tuition.

Whether or not you appreciate traditional Moonshine, you might appreciate the craftsmanship the artisan used when he hammered out the Dark Corner Distillery copper still. It is something to see. Joe and Roxanne have taken care with the design of their store--copper patina walls and all. By the way, Joe is a former student of mine. The ambiance suits the product and the tradition. Beautiful place.

When I buy local, sometimes I know the person and about his or her life. I buy from people I like and admire. I buy for their commitment to their craft, their creativity, their work ethic. Sorry, but mass-produced feels sort of like the emptiness of a gift card—that generic, androgynous, safe choice—nothing personal. Most people who handcraft their wares usually enjoy the process. Everything can’t be handcrafted by an artisan, I know. But, that is the reason I have an attachment for some things—because someone “studied” it, or worked, then stepped back, evaluated, and took up the “tool” again—someone contemplated…

PS. Sorry about the font; it is defying my commands.

Be Kind Solutions Increases Manufacturing With Recycling, Re-Purposing, and Kind Friends

THE WARHORSE gets another new home!

Warhorse Solutions' glycerin, natural soaps are dark--Appalachian Amber we call it. Since we use the refined glycerin byproduct from our biofuel process, the oils are dark as the temperatures are hot, hot. We do not dilute our soaps with water and then thicken them. We don't dye it with Titanium Dioxide, and we don't use sulfate detergents for artificial suds. We use A LOT of glycerin and soap. Sulfates can dry and irritate the skin. The high glycerin content keeps the skin moist AND effectively cleans. It appears that many people embrace our dark amber soaps, so we are increasing our production capacity--in other words, I need a bigger soap tank.

Since our little company is growing, it was time to get off the Red Oak firewood and onto biodiesel and a bigger soap cooker. I'm a bit tired of dodging smoke from the fire, shifting my stirring position depending on the wind, and my boat paddle is tired. So, after badgering Carl that I needed a more efficient process, he started "studying," reading about biodiesel burners. Expensive to buy a manufactured one. So, as Carl usually does, he talks to Bob Russell, to Steve, Larry, and Tony Hyder, and to Casey Thompson, a Hyder son-in-law. After a few trips down to the Dark Corner, Carl had a plan. What's great about having friends who can make anything, who have a wealth of knowledge, and who embrace hard work, they can help you get things done--they're all blue collar engineers, got the knowledge and the hands to make it happen, much like my husband Carl.






Be Kind Solutions' new soap burner is made from a recycled oil furnace burner. Carl got a used one from John Foy at All Seasons Heating and Air. BINGO! John put a new burner nozzle on it and a few other parts. John was kind enough to just charge us for the parts--$25.00. Thanks John.


Carl built a firebox using firebricks and fire clay and bolted on the recycled furnace. BINGO! I owe him $187.00 for the bricks--got to sell some soap. With some copper tubing and wiring, I've got a more efficient method of refining my glycerin and making WARHORSE Cleaning Soap, Paws to Palms Pet & People Soap, WARHORSE Leather Gel, and be kind's body washes. Now, I can use our biodiesel in the furnace burner--a sustainable and "green" biodiesel burner. The firebricks contain the heat, and the thermostat keeps my temps where I need them. It burns about 3 quarts of biofuel an hour and puts out lots of BTUs. Very efficient. Thank you, Carl.

Next step is getting a bigger soap tank. Shopped for used ones on Craig's List, Ebay, and equipment manufacturers. Family friend Rick Pate of Green Creek and Chemway let the dogs out to sniff one up for me. Found one with 4,000 gallon capacity--not there yet. Whew! Pretty expensive, even the small ones. We knew there had to be a steel tank somewhere that we could recycle and re-purpose.

Bob Russell--my biodiesel mentor, our diesel mechanic mentor, our organic blueberry and raspberry supplier--suggested we check out the Russel Diesel Shop collection of "dead" tractor trailers long since put to rest. We drove our '81 Chevy Luv Diesel on over and found several steel tanks that might work. BINGO!

We loaded up our recycled and re-purposed steel 160 gallon diesel fuel gas tank, which came off a diesel dump truck. Our good friends The Dark Corner Hyder brothers gave us their suggestions on the best way to make my new soap cooker. Carl "studied" on it for a while, and today he took it over into the Dark Corners for some welding and remodeling. Casey, Dink Hyder's son-in-law, who's getting pretty close to living off the grid, is handier than Carl is with a welder.


Casey and Mindy are very industrious. They installed and use a wood burner that heats their house and water. Pipes are buried and carry temperature controlled heat into their house. It doesn't burn much wood, as it is choked way down.










Mindy and Casey don't sit down much, as their two daughters keep them busy. Plus, they are on the lookout for sustainable ways to live. They have just started a new batch of dibs so they can continue getting their fresh eggs.






And, Carl and I passed along the biodiesel lifestyle
to Casey. He has just built his own processor
and made several "perfect" batches. Just like us
he and Mindy realize making biofuel is a lifestyle--getting dirty, being outside in cold weather, and ALWAYS
tweaking the system. Like the rest of the Hyders, these two industrious people built their own home. Add the chickens, cutting firewood, making biofuel, bear hunting--plus Mindy is a RN at Spartanburg Regional and Casey works with Hyder Farms--no body is just chillin' in this household.








Casey gets to work on the WARHORSE soap cooker.

























As you can see, once Casey got finished with the basics, he got a little creative and put the WARHORSE on my soap cooker--permanently. Mindy drew him on with chalk and BINGO! I owe Casey and his wife Mindy A LOT of my WARHORSE and glycerin body soaps. I'll be making a Dark Corner delivery soon! Thanks to both of you. Sit down and rest a spell. You deserve it.

Casey really likes WARHORSE's Blue Musk Glycerin Body Wash

Once Carl brought the WARHORSE soap cooker home, he still had to weld a motor on top with an agitator to keep the glycerin and soaps moving during the refining and cooking stages.



As soon as Carl got the WARHORSE out of the back of the truck, I checked it out and decided to remove the last bit of gum from the inside.









I really like the new tank--my labor should go down, and my capacity increase. The ball lever valve on the bottom will be soooo much easier than hand bailing out the soap. Whew, one thing down and another to tackle. "Hey Carl, I think I need a bigger distiller." I better give it a rest.