Wednesday, January 18, 2012
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Monday, January 9, 2012
The Missing Ingredient in All my Goals
The Missing Ingredient in Most Goals Michael Hyatt
I will be rethinking/rewriting my 2012 Life Goals with this in mind.
I will be rethinking/rewriting my 2012 Life Goals with this in mind.
Sunday, January 8, 2012
Happy Birthday Gerry!
Today is the birthday of my adored husband. He got a previously viewed copy of the movie "Across the Universe" the one with all the Beatles music in it. But I gave it to him a couple of days ago when he asked if we had anything new to watch. I figured, "It's so close," and he really enjoyed it. Today we have been watching the truly excellent PBS documentary "Commanding Heights" Highly recommended! Right now he is speaking to our daughter, who called for his birthday. They are having an in depth discussion about writing and research, publishing, self publishing.... as she is also a writer.
Well, today is day 8 of my no drinking year, but I must confess that had I been able to find the whiskey last night, I would have had a bit. But I could not, so I did not. Tomorrow is weighing day, and I think I am going to be pleasantly surprised at the number.
How about the price of gas now, huh? Jake brought us home an exact gallon yesterday for the chainsaw gas/oil mix. $3.30. I am determined to keep track of ALL our expenses this year, not just the biggies and then being surprised that small things add up. I have a subcategory in the Utilities category called "Cost of Making Wood" Well, with oil having peaked and us still not paying attention to alternatives and sustainability, it is going to get worse. Not that the prices will NEVER fall, but overall direction will be up, up, and away!
Some may be surprised, if any of you are previous readers, that I have been so quiet about politics, religions, and other truly infuriating curren events. Rest assured that I am just as opinioned as ever, and I still have rants inside of me that eventually will be written. I just am tired, and want to focus on my life goals. And changing people's minds about things they hold near and dear to the views that I hold near and dear, just is not one of those 2012 Life Goals. I am discouraged about my country, and many of my countrymen, but have pretty much decided to save my limited energy and work on me and mine for a moment.
Back to the documentary. Good night!
Well, today is day 8 of my no drinking year, but I must confess that had I been able to find the whiskey last night, I would have had a bit. But I could not, so I did not. Tomorrow is weighing day, and I think I am going to be pleasantly surprised at the number.
How about the price of gas now, huh? Jake brought us home an exact gallon yesterday for the chainsaw gas/oil mix. $3.30. I am determined to keep track of ALL our expenses this year, not just the biggies and then being surprised that small things add up. I have a subcategory in the Utilities category called "Cost of Making Wood" Well, with oil having peaked and us still not paying attention to alternatives and sustainability, it is going to get worse. Not that the prices will NEVER fall, but overall direction will be up, up, and away!
Some may be surprised, if any of you are previous readers, that I have been so quiet about politics, religions, and other truly infuriating curren events. Rest assured that I am just as opinioned as ever, and I still have rants inside of me that eventually will be written. I just am tired, and want to focus on my life goals. And changing people's minds about things they hold near and dear to the views that I hold near and dear, just is not one of those 2012 Life Goals. I am discouraged about my country, and many of my countrymen, but have pretty much decided to save my limited energy and work on me and mine for a moment.
Back to the documentary. Good night!
Friday, January 6, 2012
What I've done! Another one bites the dust!!!!!
Sorry for the absence. I got SO lost in Big Love. That last season was a DOOZY! So much better than last season. I was imagining all kinds of different ways the show would end, but I did not see that ending coming.
However, I have not been totally faithless toward my Life Goals for 2012 in the last few days. Two days ago I had a big shopping day. Actually, all my shopping days are big ones because we live 10 miles from a small town, 20 miles from a bigger town, and 70 miles to a small city. So we save up errands until we just can't put them off anymore, then we get a bunch done all at once. Then I am exhausted and of no use for a day or two. Well, anyway, I had to get grain for the oxen, horses, and pigs, so of course I also did everything else too. Went to the computer store to get office supplies for Gerry, and a couple of replacement parts for our laptop. This stop cost us $160 which was NOT in the January budget. Spent $50 on groceries and household odds and ends at the Dollar General Market, including turnips that still had the roots and crown. I plan to plant a couple of them for indoor winter greens, but so far, I have only eaten them! That was in the budget. Filled the truck up with diesel, $70 in the budget. Stopped at the library to order some research books for Gerry through interlibrary loan, and finally got to the feed store, $180, budgeted.
Came home and was VERY prompt about marking my receipts and putting them in the proper envelopes and marking my balances. In my absence, the mail came and left me a lovely pile of Netflix DVDs, into which I did not immerse myself, right then! Instead, I visited with my loved ones, consoled my cat (who had evidently decided I was gone for good) and put purchases away. That night we watched a netflix movie (not Big Love) and when Gerry was asleep, I examined the budget AGAIN to try to figure out where that unplanned for $160 was coming from. After a couple more hours of tweaking (wrenching) I stopped and THEN I started on Big Love.
20 hours later I came back to my real world. That's an exaggeration, but not by much! The water heater had remained off for over 2 days, we turned it on and did dishes. Jake and Gerry cut and split firewood. I ordered the last Italian textbook I will need for my program. And some other really cheap books that have been on our amazon wishlist. The textbook had been sitting in our cart for well over a month, and I was worried that someone else was going to buy it soon. Altogether, we spent $50 for 5 books. That is what is so awful about buying from amazon, paying so much shipping per book. Yes, you guessed it, that $50 was unbudgeted too. So more hours last night after Gerry went to sleep were spent tweaking (wrenching) the budget back into shape!
Recently, I opened up internet access to our bank accounts and found that the immediacy of seeing those transactions happen has really helped to keep us on track, moneywise. I used to wait and wonder where we were with the debit card purchases and the checks, and be a bit fuzzy about automatic deposits, until the next statement. But this really now has the same feel of pulling cash out of the envelopes. When I make a transaction, I am on tenterhooks waiting for it to show up on the accounts. I got my first statement (after I opened up the online access, I mean) and glanced at it and realized it was all old news to me. That was a very strange feeling, and I like doing it this way. I like it better than the cash in the envelopes, because I spend cash SO easily. A lot of people say that cash is harder to spend, emotionally, but I find it is the exact opposite with me. Now that I can see the debit and check purchases so immediately, and the direct deposits and payments, I am much happier. I still use the envelopes, but this month I am using them to hold the different categories of receipts. Eating out is still on a cash basis, and that works for me.
ANYWAY...to make a short story long, I had been anxiously waiting to see a certain transaction clear. We paid off our last consumer debt and I have on tenterhooks to see it happen. Unfortunately, I had to wipe out our $1000 emergency fund to do so, and I am very uptight about that. But we were just so sick of that debt. I was obsessing over it. We have saved over $1000 in interest by paying it off early. Because we paid it, we are so close to living within our monthly income, but not quite, and now we have no savings. So I am going to be such a monstrous tightwad until our Spring trips begin and I can get money back into that savings account. Because I also had a $1000 winter hay bill dropped on me that I was not expecting. We are going to be so tight.
But that 25 percent interest rate loan is gone. Debtwise, we have a loan from my mom (I guess THAT one is my last consumer debt?) which will be paid off May 2013. Yay! And 2 student loans, and our mortgage.
Tomorrow is Saturday, Pizza Night? Sounds great to me! Tightwad meals CAN taste good! Need to get some more beans cooking in the crockpot, too. And plant some turnips before I eat them all!
Off to tend fire, and maybe get some sleep. Good night.
However, I have not been totally faithless toward my Life Goals for 2012 in the last few days. Two days ago I had a big shopping day. Actually, all my shopping days are big ones because we live 10 miles from a small town, 20 miles from a bigger town, and 70 miles to a small city. So we save up errands until we just can't put them off anymore, then we get a bunch done all at once. Then I am exhausted and of no use for a day or two. Well, anyway, I had to get grain for the oxen, horses, and pigs, so of course I also did everything else too. Went to the computer store to get office supplies for Gerry, and a couple of replacement parts for our laptop. This stop cost us $160 which was NOT in the January budget. Spent $50 on groceries and household odds and ends at the Dollar General Market, including turnips that still had the roots and crown. I plan to plant a couple of them for indoor winter greens, but so far, I have only eaten them! That was in the budget. Filled the truck up with diesel, $70 in the budget. Stopped at the library to order some research books for Gerry through interlibrary loan, and finally got to the feed store, $180, budgeted.
Came home and was VERY prompt about marking my receipts and putting them in the proper envelopes and marking my balances. In my absence, the mail came and left me a lovely pile of Netflix DVDs, into which I did not immerse myself, right then! Instead, I visited with my loved ones, consoled my cat (who had evidently decided I was gone for good) and put purchases away. That night we watched a netflix movie (not Big Love) and when Gerry was asleep, I examined the budget AGAIN to try to figure out where that unplanned for $160 was coming from. After a couple more hours of tweaking (wrenching) I stopped and THEN I started on Big Love.
20 hours later I came back to my real world. That's an exaggeration, but not by much! The water heater had remained off for over 2 days, we turned it on and did dishes. Jake and Gerry cut and split firewood. I ordered the last Italian textbook I will need for my program. And some other really cheap books that have been on our amazon wishlist. The textbook had been sitting in our cart for well over a month, and I was worried that someone else was going to buy it soon. Altogether, we spent $50 for 5 books. That is what is so awful about buying from amazon, paying so much shipping per book. Yes, you guessed it, that $50 was unbudgeted too. So more hours last night after Gerry went to sleep were spent tweaking (wrenching) the budget back into shape!
Recently, I opened up internet access to our bank accounts and found that the immediacy of seeing those transactions happen has really helped to keep us on track, moneywise. I used to wait and wonder where we were with the debit card purchases and the checks, and be a bit fuzzy about automatic deposits, until the next statement. But this really now has the same feel of pulling cash out of the envelopes. When I make a transaction, I am on tenterhooks waiting for it to show up on the accounts. I got my first statement (after I opened up the online access, I mean) and glanced at it and realized it was all old news to me. That was a very strange feeling, and I like doing it this way. I like it better than the cash in the envelopes, because I spend cash SO easily. A lot of people say that cash is harder to spend, emotionally, but I find it is the exact opposite with me. Now that I can see the debit and check purchases so immediately, and the direct deposits and payments, I am much happier. I still use the envelopes, but this month I am using them to hold the different categories of receipts. Eating out is still on a cash basis, and that works for me.
ANYWAY...to make a short story long, I had been anxiously waiting to see a certain transaction clear. We paid off our last consumer debt and I have on tenterhooks to see it happen. Unfortunately, I had to wipe out our $1000 emergency fund to do so, and I am very uptight about that. But we were just so sick of that debt. I was obsessing over it. We have saved over $1000 in interest by paying it off early. Because we paid it, we are so close to living within our monthly income, but not quite, and now we have no savings. So I am going to be such a monstrous tightwad until our Spring trips begin and I can get money back into that savings account. Because I also had a $1000 winter hay bill dropped on me that I was not expecting. We are going to be so tight.
But that 25 percent interest rate loan is gone. Debtwise, we have a loan from my mom (I guess THAT one is my last consumer debt?) which will be paid off May 2013. Yay! And 2 student loans, and our mortgage.
Tomorrow is Saturday, Pizza Night? Sounds great to me! Tightwad meals CAN taste good! Need to get some more beans cooking in the crockpot, too. And plant some turnips before I eat them all!
Off to tend fire, and maybe get some sleep. Good night.
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
Can't really think of a decent title tonight
Which is a bit unusual for me. It's late, and I am weary. My cat, Spot, is definitely on the mend, which makes me very happy. I sewed on a shirt for Gerry all day today. Reworked the budget tonight, that is what I just finished doing. Definitely going to be a tight, tight winter unless I find a job. But if I find a job then I won't have the time or energy to do all this money saving stuff so we will spend more money and it will be a tight winter anyway, with the added bonus of me being tired and bitchy all the time. Grapple, grapple.
I started on the Italian again today. I listened to pop music and also language CDs, and I am about to watch a movie in Italian. For me, that counts, because my ear becomes accustomed to the native sounds, and my eyes become accustomed to the native expressions and gestures.
3rd day of no alcohol day. Only 362 days to go! Am I over the hump yet?
Seriously though, I am not an alcoholic, not going through withdrawals or anything. I just really like to drink...
On the green front, the water heater never got turned on at all today. No one thought about it. The dishes have piled up though, so it will definitely be turned on tomorrow, if we have water again.
Be good to yourself. I have to stoke the fire, then my movie is calling me. Tomorrow Big Love is supposed to arrive, I am very excited. Jake said he would laugh if something happened and they were delayed. Mean adolescent! By the way, I really messed up on my netflix decisions, moneywise. I'll tell you all about it tomorrow.
I started on the Italian again today. I listened to pop music and also language CDs, and I am about to watch a movie in Italian. For me, that counts, because my ear becomes accustomed to the native sounds, and my eyes become accustomed to the native expressions and gestures.
3rd day of no alcohol day. Only 362 days to go! Am I over the hump yet?
Seriously though, I am not an alcoholic, not going through withdrawals or anything. I just really like to drink...
On the green front, the water heater never got turned on at all today. No one thought about it. The dishes have piled up though, so it will definitely be turned on tomorrow, if we have water again.
Be good to yourself. I have to stoke the fire, then my movie is calling me. Tomorrow Big Love is supposed to arrive, I am very excited. Jake said he would laugh if something happened and they were delayed. Mean adolescent! By the way, I really messed up on my netflix decisions, moneywise. I'll tell you all about it tomorrow.
Monday, January 2, 2012
Winter is here!
Seemingly in earnest, finally. Snow is on the ground, the woodstove is enjoying us crowding up to it, the water froze again. I have been battling a massive headache with a slight fever and I wonder if it is a sinus issue? I don't know.
For those who remember me speaking of our beloved shar-pei dogs, Yin and Yang, I must tell you they are no more. Sadly, after months of peaceful, even affectionate coexistence with our other animals, Yin and Yang decided to play with our ducks. One duck survived. We came home from a trip to the nearest town one day last summer to find duck carnage and happy dogs. Knowing we could not trust them again, they met a peaceful end the next day in my arms.
I now have a cat, Her name is Spot. She has completely taken over my heart, but unfortunately she has become ill. Yes, she has been to the vet, for which visit I unhappily spent over $100.00. She is a fighter, and I believe is recovering, but it has been touch and go for a few days. 2 nights ago, I told my adored husband Gerry that I feared she was dying, but she has hung on and I see improvement now. She definitely put up a much sterner fight today when I made her take her medicine!
Oh yes, my Goals.
Well, it has been a successful day 2 of no alcohol year! Which should help the frugality goal and the lose weight goal. I also found a book on Amazon.com I wanted to buy. And I did not buy it! Yay for me! But I did not exercise at all, did not cook (we ate leftovers, which Gerry cooked) Did not do dishes (Gerry did dishes) did not find another "Green Living" idea to implement. I did turn lights out after Gerry and Jake, because I tend to see that when they- Manlike- do not. But if I reported everytime I turn off I light I shall become very boring indeed!
I did change my netflix account, so that I am actually paying more this month. That is because I am going to try to power through my entire queue this next month and then next month either cancel it completely, or take it down to only streaming for $8.00 per month. I have been more and more unhappy with netflix and am willing to give it up. I spent much of the last month with my account on hold for 2 reasons.
1. I needed to free up some money in December.
2. I wanted to see how I did with being home but not having netflix. To my surprise, I did just fine.
Honestly, I don't know that I would have brought my account back even now, except that the last season of Big Love is available as of tomorrow and I wanted to see how it all comes out! Was unimpressed with the show in the last 2 years, especially season 4. But there is only 1 more season so I may as well finish it! I also have MANY documentaries waiting for me. I just have to get them watched and then I can let it all go.
Well, my fire is dying down, so I will say goodnight. See you tomorrow.
For those who remember me speaking of our beloved shar-pei dogs, Yin and Yang, I must tell you they are no more. Sadly, after months of peaceful, even affectionate coexistence with our other animals, Yin and Yang decided to play with our ducks. One duck survived. We came home from a trip to the nearest town one day last summer to find duck carnage and happy dogs. Knowing we could not trust them again, they met a peaceful end the next day in my arms.
I now have a cat, Her name is Spot. She has completely taken over my heart, but unfortunately she has become ill. Yes, she has been to the vet, for which visit I unhappily spent over $100.00. She is a fighter, and I believe is recovering, but it has been touch and go for a few days. 2 nights ago, I told my adored husband Gerry that I feared she was dying, but she has hung on and I see improvement now. She definitely put up a much sterner fight today when I made her take her medicine!
Oh yes, my Goals.
Well, it has been a successful day 2 of no alcohol year! Which should help the frugality goal and the lose weight goal. I also found a book on Amazon.com I wanted to buy. And I did not buy it! Yay for me! But I did not exercise at all, did not cook (we ate leftovers, which Gerry cooked) Did not do dishes (Gerry did dishes) did not find another "Green Living" idea to implement. I did turn lights out after Gerry and Jake, because I tend to see that when they- Manlike- do not. But if I reported everytime I turn off I light I shall become very boring indeed!
I did change my netflix account, so that I am actually paying more this month. That is because I am going to try to power through my entire queue this next month and then next month either cancel it completely, or take it down to only streaming for $8.00 per month. I have been more and more unhappy with netflix and am willing to give it up. I spent much of the last month with my account on hold for 2 reasons.
1. I needed to free up some money in December.
2. I wanted to see how I did with being home but not having netflix. To my surprise, I did just fine.
Honestly, I don't know that I would have brought my account back even now, except that the last season of Big Love is available as of tomorrow and I wanted to see how it all comes out! Was unimpressed with the show in the last 2 years, especially season 4. But there is only 1 more season so I may as well finish it! I also have MANY documentaries waiting for me. I just have to get them watched and then I can let it all go.
Well, my fire is dying down, so I will say goodnight. See you tomorrow.
Sunday, January 1, 2012
Another Happy New Year, Restarts
I can't believe I have let this blog go for so long. I certainly never intended to!
Time for a restart, and a redirection.
For one thing, since soon I will no longer have a minor in my home, I will be more open about being a naturist. That means that I will be changing this blog to include some tasteful everyday nudity, and as soon as I re-figure-out how, that will be indicated when people try to see what I am up to. That is, if I ever get any of my loved readers back from my long hiatus.
I don't do well with New Year's Resolutions. I wonder if anyone ever does? But I keep trying, like so many. In an attempt to circumvent my personal history of non-follow through, I am calling my resolutions Life Goals for 2012. These goals fall into a few broad catagories.
Continue to work toward responsible frugality and debt elimination.
Become near fluent in Italian.
Deepening commitment to "Green"
And the perennial, Lose the extra weight!
For the record, I just weighed myself. I weigh 91 Kilograms (for US Folk who want to know what that is in pounds, multiply 91 by 2.2 and learn metric! It ain't so bad, and we have to anyway)
My goal by the end of 2012 is 61 kilograms.
My pledge here is that I shall post, every single day that I have internet access, at least one action to further one or more of the above goals. Sometimes, an action may further more than one goal, and I'll probably point that out, as I am needing all the pats on my back I can get! Sometimes an action will simply be a nonaction, when the action I wanted to take but stopped myself from would have been a step away from my goals.
Today, is the first day of a mostly nonalcoholic year. I will be having a beer from time to time, but no chianti, no whiskey, no margaritas with my mexican meals.
This will help our budget, and hopefully, my waistline!
So anyway, I am happy to be back. I hope you come back too.
Time for a restart, and a redirection.
For one thing, since soon I will no longer have a minor in my home, I will be more open about being a naturist. That means that I will be changing this blog to include some tasteful everyday nudity, and as soon as I re-figure-out how, that will be indicated when people try to see what I am up to. That is, if I ever get any of my loved readers back from my long hiatus.
I don't do well with New Year's Resolutions. I wonder if anyone ever does? But I keep trying, like so many. In an attempt to circumvent my personal history of non-follow through, I am calling my resolutions Life Goals for 2012. These goals fall into a few broad catagories.
Continue to work toward responsible frugality and debt elimination.
Become near fluent in Italian.
Deepening commitment to "Green"
And the perennial, Lose the extra weight!
For the record, I just weighed myself. I weigh 91 Kilograms (for US Folk who want to know what that is in pounds, multiply 91 by 2.2 and learn metric! It ain't so bad, and we have to anyway)
My goal by the end of 2012 is 61 kilograms.
My pledge here is that I shall post, every single day that I have internet access, at least one action to further one or more of the above goals. Sometimes, an action may further more than one goal, and I'll probably point that out, as I am needing all the pats on my back I can get! Sometimes an action will simply be a nonaction, when the action I wanted to take but stopped myself from would have been a step away from my goals.
Today, is the first day of a mostly nonalcoholic year. I will be having a beer from time to time, but no chianti, no whiskey, no margaritas with my mexican meals.
This will help our budget, and hopefully, my waistline!
So anyway, I am happy to be back. I hope you come back too.
Monday, December 5, 2011
Saturday, July 16, 2011
The Cost of Responsible Living
I have read a number of times lately that the cost of changing to energy careful technologies is exorbitant. Apparently this has become a conservative sacred cow. From what I have been able to tell from my research, mostly into the European experience, where countries like Germany, the Netherlands and England are far ahead of us in the transition to renewable energy sources, this is pure myth and a deliberate misrepresentation. Just for a single example, capturing and reburning the carbon and sulfur emissions from coal is an inexpensive change and increases efficiency in the long run. We just don’t want to do it. I am not qualified to argue this at a national or planet level, but I can definitely see the effects of changing to green technology at our home, the savings of living in an energy responsible manner have far outweighed the transition costs.
Maria has been the driving force behind our pursuit of responsible living. She has done the research and much of the work. There has been a pronounced positive effect on our finances. Simple changes, like driving less, planning our trips, controlling our shopping, combining errands, not going unless we absolutely have to, and using the more fuel efficient of our vehicles, have added up to a big savings. The biggest single savings has been in electric use. We are still not off the grid, but we have cut electric use drastically. Our most recent electric bill was $26. We have gone from an annual expenditure for electricity of $2700 to about $690 this past year. That $2000 difference alone paid for a lot of what we have invested in the transition.
It is not a matter of being cheap, it is a matter of thinking about what we are doing and the impact. For example, we resist buying anything new if there is an alternative. Yes, this is cheaper, but there is an energy impact for every new item manufactured that we avoid by buying used. There are also issues of toxicity. There are hazardous chemicals present in all textiles. Used garments have at least some of these washed out.
Granted, what we are doing, the opportunities available to us living in rural Kentucky, are not available to everyone. But then, there are more resources available in a more cosmopolitan area than we have here in some ways, better libraries, closer shopping, a community that is interested in networking and cooperation toward sustainable goals. Every building can be improved. We can start to think about our expenditures in resources, not just currency. It is the planning that is saving us the money.
Maria has been the driving force behind our pursuit of responsible living. She has done the research and much of the work. There has been a pronounced positive effect on our finances. Simple changes, like driving less, planning our trips, controlling our shopping, combining errands, not going unless we absolutely have to, and using the more fuel efficient of our vehicles, have added up to a big savings. The biggest single savings has been in electric use. We are still not off the grid, but we have cut electric use drastically. Our most recent electric bill was $26. We have gone from an annual expenditure for electricity of $2700 to about $690 this past year. That $2000 difference alone paid for a lot of what we have invested in the transition.
It is not a matter of being cheap, it is a matter of thinking about what we are doing and the impact. For example, we resist buying anything new if there is an alternative. Yes, this is cheaper, but there is an energy impact for every new item manufactured that we avoid by buying used. There are also issues of toxicity. There are hazardous chemicals present in all textiles. Used garments have at least some of these washed out.
Granted, what we are doing, the opportunities available to us living in rural Kentucky, are not available to everyone. But then, there are more resources available in a more cosmopolitan area than we have here in some ways, better libraries, closer shopping, a community that is interested in networking and cooperation toward sustainable goals. Every building can be improved. We can start to think about our expenditures in resources, not just currency. It is the planning that is saving us the money.
Democracy
We citizens of these United States have developed an extremely effective way of destroying ourselves. We have decided to stay in our golden past. We have refused to be brought into the modern world. Then, we accuse anyone that points out our problems of lack of patriotism. This guarantees that nothing will ever improve. We will simply slide loudly and with a large splash into oblivion.
We used to think that the Oriental history of walling out change that kept China and Japan from modernizing for centuries was ridiculous. If you look at the present state of our country, you will see that this is exactly what we have done. We don’t learn from the past, we glorify it. We try, very unrealistically to live in it.
We developed a political system that was extremely responsive to the needs of a rapidly industrializing nation. Our government supported industry, commerce and the stockholders that managed our leap into world prominence. Now we are held hostage by these same forces that built us, and we cannot let go.
We failed to automate our industry; to protect the workers‘ jobs, of course. We hamstrung our agriculture by permitting a monopoly to pick the direction it would go, without thought to any consequence but profit. Oil built us. American oil won World War II, and even though the handwriting has been on the wall for fifty years, we refuse to let go of it. The oil companies are diversifying, buying into renewable energy, but we, as a people, are not. Climate change is going to redesign the world’s economy for us. Our leaders stick their heads in the sand. Prudence would dictate that if there were even a chance that this would be barreling down the slope toward us that we should take concrete measures to save ourselves. But we are not prudent people. Fourteen percent of our workforce is unemployed as of this writing. About the same percentage are underemployed. We did this to ourselves. We allowed businesses to move these people’s jobs overseas and bring the products back to this country without any tariff whatsoever. That is freedom.
We are not a democracy. This country was designed as a vehicle for corporate profits. It is business that pays for the campaigns that put people in political office. Therefore, we get leaders and legislators who put the interests of sponsors first. Look at the decisions they have made over the past years. Republican or Democrat, neither party will vote against the interests of big business. The Constitution is simply a panacea. This country is run by an unwritten constitution that exists to insure corporate profits and the welfare of the economic elite. The rest of us are manipulated. We are given bread and games. The term for this form of government is plutocracy.
We used to think that the Oriental history of walling out change that kept China and Japan from modernizing for centuries was ridiculous. If you look at the present state of our country, you will see that this is exactly what we have done. We don’t learn from the past, we glorify it. We try, very unrealistically to live in it.
We developed a political system that was extremely responsive to the needs of a rapidly industrializing nation. Our government supported industry, commerce and the stockholders that managed our leap into world prominence. Now we are held hostage by these same forces that built us, and we cannot let go.
We failed to automate our industry; to protect the workers‘ jobs, of course. We hamstrung our agriculture by permitting a monopoly to pick the direction it would go, without thought to any consequence but profit. Oil built us. American oil won World War II, and even though the handwriting has been on the wall for fifty years, we refuse to let go of it. The oil companies are diversifying, buying into renewable energy, but we, as a people, are not. Climate change is going to redesign the world’s economy for us. Our leaders stick their heads in the sand. Prudence would dictate that if there were even a chance that this would be barreling down the slope toward us that we should take concrete measures to save ourselves. But we are not prudent people. Fourteen percent of our workforce is unemployed as of this writing. About the same percentage are underemployed. We did this to ourselves. We allowed businesses to move these people’s jobs overseas and bring the products back to this country without any tariff whatsoever. That is freedom.
We are not a democracy. This country was designed as a vehicle for corporate profits. It is business that pays for the campaigns that put people in political office. Therefore, we get leaders and legislators who put the interests of sponsors first. Look at the decisions they have made over the past years. Republican or Democrat, neither party will vote against the interests of big business. The Constitution is simply a panacea. This country is run by an unwritten constitution that exists to insure corporate profits and the welfare of the economic elite. The rest of us are manipulated. We are given bread and games. The term for this form of government is plutocracy.
Monday, February 28, 2011
Blending Philosophy With Reality
It was 73 degrees, I saw both robins and mocking birds, the first buds are on the trees and shrubs and we had another thunder storm. The chickens gave us four eggs again today. The sow Isabella slimed my leg while I was cleaning out her water pan. We had to move hay again. The oxen sensed that it was a work day and met me at the gate all ready to work. Joe thinks George checks the depth of hay in the rings and knows when we are going to work them. William moved into position to take the yoke without being told and later got on the chain when he was told without prompting. Spring is battering on the door. We are talking about gardens and starting to plan.
The real issue is not what we are going to plant, or where. The question is how we make sustainable living a lifestyle. We have to factor in shelter, transportation, food storage, and clothing and provide food. We need sources of information and enough money to give us some maneuverability and acquire capital items needed to transform the farmstead. This is a tall order. Some things are obvious. The house is inefficient: Too much wasted space, poor insulation and a site that is someday going to get wiped out by a flood. We want to build a more survivable house up-hill where it will get more solar energy and pick up more wind. We have steadily reduced our use of the car and truck to about a single trip to town a week, bunching errands or simply staying home. Maria has almost single handedly reduced our electrical consumption to a quarter to an eighth (depending on the season) of our previous level. We have our sins, however. We are addicted to our computers and Netflix. Still these can eventually be supported by electricity we can produce ourselves.
Our plan is to move steadily toward a largely self sufficient sustainable lifestyle: Growing what we can, using draft animals where we can, making whatever we can do ourselves, bartering, trading or selling those skills we have to provide the capital needed to keep the place going. We believe that this course will fit with the changes we see in the environment and economic situation. We are not survivalists in the Y2K form, but it would seem to be provident to design a life that will not collapse if gas at the pump does hit $15 a gallon. We spend a lot of time here talking about the philosophy of living responsibly. At this time of year, the reality of carving this lifestyle out a hollow in southern Kentucky rears its ugly head and we are faced with making it work.
The real issue is not what we are going to plant, or where. The question is how we make sustainable living a lifestyle. We have to factor in shelter, transportation, food storage, and clothing and provide food. We need sources of information and enough money to give us some maneuverability and acquire capital items needed to transform the farmstead. This is a tall order. Some things are obvious. The house is inefficient: Too much wasted space, poor insulation and a site that is someday going to get wiped out by a flood. We want to build a more survivable house up-hill where it will get more solar energy and pick up more wind. We have steadily reduced our use of the car and truck to about a single trip to town a week, bunching errands or simply staying home. Maria has almost single handedly reduced our electrical consumption to a quarter to an eighth (depending on the season) of our previous level. We have our sins, however. We are addicted to our computers and Netflix. Still these can eventually be supported by electricity we can produce ourselves.
Our plan is to move steadily toward a largely self sufficient sustainable lifestyle: Growing what we can, using draft animals where we can, making whatever we can do ourselves, bartering, trading or selling those skills we have to provide the capital needed to keep the place going. We believe that this course will fit with the changes we see in the environment and economic situation. We are not survivalists in the Y2K form, but it would seem to be provident to design a life that will not collapse if gas at the pump does hit $15 a gallon. We spend a lot of time here talking about the philosophy of living responsibly. At this time of year, the reality of carving this lifestyle out a hollow in southern Kentucky rears its ugly head and we are faced with making it work.
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Modern
Since we specialize in preserving traditional skills like building log cabins with nothing but axes, working draft animals, spinning, and a host of others, people are often surprised that we advocate and use modern technology. It can not be an either/or situation.
Let me explain this, I believe the world environmental and energy situation is becoming so critical that we have to put all our intellect and effort into creating a stable, sustainable culture on this planet. We cannot afford the luxury of dwelling on the past. Sustainable farming has the potential of squeezing out more food value per square inch than any corporate farm, but to do this, we need to blend every bit of skill and technology that we have. We have to be careful, some of the modern is dangerous, certainly the herbicides and insecticides of modern agriculture have been linked to the alarming increase in cancer in our population. But traditional methods led to soil erosion, deforestation, air pollution, disease, malnutrition, and inordinate occupational hazards.
Creating a sustainable farmstead requires designing a livable pattern of agriculture, energy, personal health, and nutrition. It may be comfortable to occupy spacious quarters, but heating the airspace in winter may require more work than can be sustained. Do we concentrate on feeding ourselves? Or raise a surplus that can be bartered for items we cannot produce on the farm? Or start evaluating and eliminating what we think we must have/do/make? We have to seek a balance. There are skills that we will need such as blacksmithing, coopering, tanning, harness making, and medicine that we can learn, but may take too much time and thus not be effective.
When I am at an historic event, it may the best answer to have a wooden wheeled Virginia wagon, but for every day use, a steel wheeled cart may serve my farm better. If we are going to survive, we have to be practical, not romantic. We have to pick the most survivable tool.
In writing about survival on the Overmountain frontier, I have said a number of times that it was not the tools that came from the East on the packhorse that enabled the frontiersmen to survive, it was the tools that came in their heads. If a plow breaks during spring plowing, life cannot go on hold until a new one is bought or the broken plow repaired. The farmer needs to be able to repair it himself or make a substitute. This is where the frontiersman had it all over us. He came out knowing he had to be self sufficient. We were raised in a culture of mutual support (even if that support has to be paid for).
I am not a nuclear physicist nor a plant biologist. But, there are things I can do to contribute to the solution to the energy depletion and environmental crises that are facing us. And, I will do them. I am experimenting with methods to find those that work and can be replicated by others. I am training myself to live a sustainable life. Even if I am imperfect, I can and do teach others what I have found out. This largely takes the form of working livestock, but that seems to be what I am best at.
At this stage, I think the biggest contribution that all of us involved in the sustainable lifestyle can do is be a loud example. When we can live well without compromising our principals, it encourages other to try. I don’t know about the rest of you, but I get discouraged when I see the excessive consumption surrounding me. As people speed by in their SUVs, I know that they are using one third more gas than they would if they were driving conservatively. I pick up a vegetable and realize it is something we grow here, but this one came from the Philippines. Our local electrical co-op brags about burning coal they get from mountain top removal and collaterally all the good that does for Kentucky. The list is endless, and I cannot fight them all. I can be an example.
The Frontiersmen crossed the Appalachians in small groups, families and often alone. What they were doing was illegal (the Proclamation of 1763). They fought Indians and often outlaws. They were dragged into the Revolution by events, not ideology. We are very much in the same situation. Those of us fighting to make a difference face politicians owned by the corporations that created this mess. Certainly they are not going to support anything that might adversely influence corporate profits. We live among a populace that has been raised to expect the comforts and ease of cheap oil. They don’t want to see it change. Demagogues manipulate them to think that we can return to the status of the victors of World War II and the economy of the 1950s. We meet resistance at every turn, we are isolated and alone. That is what it means to be a frontiersman. But, the frontiersman of 1775 was the truly modern man of his time. If there is a future, historians will look back and see those of us fighting for responsible living as the modern "Man" of our age.
Let me explain this, I believe the world environmental and energy situation is becoming so critical that we have to put all our intellect and effort into creating a stable, sustainable culture on this planet. We cannot afford the luxury of dwelling on the past. Sustainable farming has the potential of squeezing out more food value per square inch than any corporate farm, but to do this, we need to blend every bit of skill and technology that we have. We have to be careful, some of the modern is dangerous, certainly the herbicides and insecticides of modern agriculture have been linked to the alarming increase in cancer in our population. But traditional methods led to soil erosion, deforestation, air pollution, disease, malnutrition, and inordinate occupational hazards.
Creating a sustainable farmstead requires designing a livable pattern of agriculture, energy, personal health, and nutrition. It may be comfortable to occupy spacious quarters, but heating the airspace in winter may require more work than can be sustained. Do we concentrate on feeding ourselves? Or raise a surplus that can be bartered for items we cannot produce on the farm? Or start evaluating and eliminating what we think we must have/do/make? We have to seek a balance. There are skills that we will need such as blacksmithing, coopering, tanning, harness making, and medicine that we can learn, but may take too much time and thus not be effective.
When I am at an historic event, it may the best answer to have a wooden wheeled Virginia wagon, but for every day use, a steel wheeled cart may serve my farm better. If we are going to survive, we have to be practical, not romantic. We have to pick the most survivable tool.
In writing about survival on the Overmountain frontier, I have said a number of times that it was not the tools that came from the East on the packhorse that enabled the frontiersmen to survive, it was the tools that came in their heads. If a plow breaks during spring plowing, life cannot go on hold until a new one is bought or the broken plow repaired. The farmer needs to be able to repair it himself or make a substitute. This is where the frontiersman had it all over us. He came out knowing he had to be self sufficient. We were raised in a culture of mutual support (even if that support has to be paid for).
I am not a nuclear physicist nor a plant biologist. But, there are things I can do to contribute to the solution to the energy depletion and environmental crises that are facing us. And, I will do them. I am experimenting with methods to find those that work and can be replicated by others. I am training myself to live a sustainable life. Even if I am imperfect, I can and do teach others what I have found out. This largely takes the form of working livestock, but that seems to be what I am best at.
At this stage, I think the biggest contribution that all of us involved in the sustainable lifestyle can do is be a loud example. When we can live well without compromising our principals, it encourages other to try. I don’t know about the rest of you, but I get discouraged when I see the excessive consumption surrounding me. As people speed by in their SUVs, I know that they are using one third more gas than they would if they were driving conservatively. I pick up a vegetable and realize it is something we grow here, but this one came from the Philippines. Our local electrical co-op brags about burning coal they get from mountain top removal and collaterally all the good that does for Kentucky. The list is endless, and I cannot fight them all. I can be an example.
The Frontiersmen crossed the Appalachians in small groups, families and often alone. What they were doing was illegal (the Proclamation of 1763). They fought Indians and often outlaws. They were dragged into the Revolution by events, not ideology. We are very much in the same situation. Those of us fighting to make a difference face politicians owned by the corporations that created this mess. Certainly they are not going to support anything that might adversely influence corporate profits. We live among a populace that has been raised to expect the comforts and ease of cheap oil. They don’t want to see it change. Demagogues manipulate them to think that we can return to the status of the victors of World War II and the economy of the 1950s. We meet resistance at every turn, we are isolated and alone. That is what it means to be a frontiersman. But, the frontiersman of 1775 was the truly modern man of his time. If there is a future, historians will look back and see those of us fighting for responsible living as the modern "Man" of our age.
Monday, February 14, 2011
A sad journey
Early, early morning, we are off for an 8 1/2 hour drive to North Carolina to see Gerry's beloved sister. They have been best friends their whole lives, and she is dying. We are spending the rest of the week with her to help during one of her chemotherepy treatments
She is intelligent, funny, brave, savvy, a bit bossy, loving, independent, staunch, and outrageous. I admire her tremendously, and wish with all my heart her life was not ending thusly. My heart goes out to my dearest friend, my husband, as he struggles to make himself believe the truth that his sister is passing. This is made more difficult by seeing that her daughters, who have been estranged from her, don't seem to know how to grieve now, which is causing more hurtful acts and feelings between them.
This is not the first of his family to be taken by cancer. His mother, brother, and first wife were so taken.
I ask you, as you look at your family today, if there is any estrangement there, that is salvagable, work to salvage it. You don't know what will happen to you, or to any of them. Don't let pride stand in the way of reconciliation. Don't let the thought, "It's good enough," get in the way of making something better. Why wait for someone else to make the first move? Why waste time thinking you can fix it later? Even if you do fix it later, look at the time you can spend in joy and friendship now.
Once again, be good, be kind, be green, be frugal. Be light.
Janis, we love you so much, we'll see you tomorrow night.
She is intelligent, funny, brave, savvy, a bit bossy, loving, independent, staunch, and outrageous. I admire her tremendously, and wish with all my heart her life was not ending thusly. My heart goes out to my dearest friend, my husband, as he struggles to make himself believe the truth that his sister is passing. This is made more difficult by seeing that her daughters, who have been estranged from her, don't seem to know how to grieve now, which is causing more hurtful acts and feelings between them.
This is not the first of his family to be taken by cancer. His mother, brother, and first wife were so taken.
I ask you, as you look at your family today, if there is any estrangement there, that is salvagable, work to salvage it. You don't know what will happen to you, or to any of them. Don't let pride stand in the way of reconciliation. Don't let the thought, "It's good enough," get in the way of making something better. Why wait for someone else to make the first move? Why waste time thinking you can fix it later? Even if you do fix it later, look at the time you can spend in joy and friendship now.
Once again, be good, be kind, be green, be frugal. Be light.
Janis, we love you so much, we'll see you tomorrow night.
Friday, February 11, 2011
Foreign Aid
Here are some things I found out about foreign aid:
Most of our foreign aid dollars are spent on armament. There are strings attached. In most cases, they have to be used to buy weapons from the United States. Obviously, this helps our industry. Next, we give aid to countries that we have a business interest in. The big three in our present foreign aid program are Israel, Egypt and Pakistan. All three receive more in military aid than in any other form of assistance. All three are markets for American products, especially agricultural products, not just foods, but GMO seeds, and fertilizer. Doing a little research, I found that the largest dollar amount of business with each of these three countries is done by Monsanto. I think you could make the argument that our foreign aid dollars are spent to protect Monsanto’s interests.
Israel received 2.4 Billion dollars in aid in 2009. Seventy-five per cent of this had to be spent on military hardware purchased from the United States.
Egypt was the recipient of $1.7 billion, $1.3 billion went to weapons alone.
Pakistan received $798 million of which $20 million went for infrastructure, the rest was spent on security related requirements.
Brazil has lodged a formal complaint and Canada has asked for discussion of our agricultural aid practices which essentially force our Monsanto engineered, genetically modified corn on the world market. In Mexico, for example, this has destroyed the local corn varieties and put Mexican farmers out of work. (Then they show up on our doorsteps as illegal aliens because they have no other way of feeding their families.)
You notice that Congressional candidates speechify about cutting foreign aid, while incumbents do not. The big arms manufacturers and Monsanto make political contributions to incumbents in far larger amounts. No relationship between the two is there.
I am not sure this is responsible.
Most of our foreign aid dollars are spent on armament. There are strings attached. In most cases, they have to be used to buy weapons from the United States. Obviously, this helps our industry. Next, we give aid to countries that we have a business interest in. The big three in our present foreign aid program are Israel, Egypt and Pakistan. All three receive more in military aid than in any other form of assistance. All three are markets for American products, especially agricultural products, not just foods, but GMO seeds, and fertilizer. Doing a little research, I found that the largest dollar amount of business with each of these three countries is done by Monsanto. I think you could make the argument that our foreign aid dollars are spent to protect Monsanto’s interests.
Israel received 2.4 Billion dollars in aid in 2009. Seventy-five per cent of this had to be spent on military hardware purchased from the United States.
Egypt was the recipient of $1.7 billion, $1.3 billion went to weapons alone.
Pakistan received $798 million of which $20 million went for infrastructure, the rest was spent on security related requirements.
Brazil has lodged a formal complaint and Canada has asked for discussion of our agricultural aid practices which essentially force our Monsanto engineered, genetically modified corn on the world market. In Mexico, for example, this has destroyed the local corn varieties and put Mexican farmers out of work. (Then they show up on our doorsteps as illegal aliens because they have no other way of feeding their families.)
You notice that Congressional candidates speechify about cutting foreign aid, while incumbents do not. The big arms manufacturers and Monsanto make political contributions to incumbents in far larger amounts. No relationship between the two is there.
I am not sure this is responsible.
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