At some point today between pulling muddy sticks out of a beaver dam, talking about the future of environmental education and digging a treasure out of the trash, I realized how lucky I am that my day-to-day life is anything but day-to-day. To get a clear picture of exactly what it is I do… may be impossible. I don’t really know what I do. I can give you a clear picture of what I have been doing, however. Let’s look at my last 24 hours.
Zoom into lunch time. I’m at “the office” a beautiful old style house that was previously use commercially that is currently being renovated into a bunk house for staff and trekkers. Piles of history surround me, and everything is covered in a very fine dust- the impenetrable “southwest seasoning” that blows in through any crack, hole or opening during our fierce spring winds. I’m working on a power point presentation for a school I’m leading next week- a Montessori school, whose 5th graders I’ll be taking on an overnight trip to the culturally unique Chaco Canyon, and the otherwise unique Ah-shi-sle-pah. I’ve just put in a food order with Sysco, and I’m about to hop in a car and drive to do my presentation.
1.5 hours later: Presentation done, I make my way to Home Depot, thanks to my, mostly trusty, very dusty GPS. The people here are friendlier and generally more helpful than the variety of people I’ve encountered in my 6 visits last week (but alas, a return trip is still required). I don’t have enough time to justify a trip back north to the office, so I meander to a local library, stumbling upon the coolest one I’ve ever found.
Cue “down time”. I find book after book of interesting natural history, weather-related guides and general New Mexico history. I want them all but I try to be reasonable. I take 3: Ocean of Air, Wild Guide: New Mexico’s Passport to the Great Outdoors and The Tree Rings’ Tale, plus a staff pick cd by Jack White, which I immediately pop into the Cd player.
Next I find myself sitting at a coffee, nervously checking my phone. I hope I’m at the right coffee shop and am wishing I’d written down her number like I told myself to do three times. After about the 4th time check, the woman next to me peeps, “Are you Cass?”. Figures. We chat about the Weather of New Mexico slide show she graciously put together for an event we’re hosting, and then she listens to me ramble about future hopes and dreams, giving me some steady guidance.
Next stop- Kelly’s Restaurant…a spot I haven’t been since I was 18 and flew into ABQ before driving to Santa Fe to look at a college. Looks exactly the same, but the scenery is nicer than I remembered. A talkative and inspiringly over-ambitious teacher wanted to take me out to dinner to discuss her upcoming field trip (which I was just reminded that morning, is tomorrow). I gorge on Sweet Potato fries and a veggie burger that DOES have cheese in it despite what the waitress said, then head back home, to set up for said field trip. Right after the teacher leaves I make a discovery about a conflicting event happening the same time and place as the field trip. Only I know of the confliction, and it’s creeping on 10:00pm. What do I do…?
I decide to sleep on it, check the weather in the morning and move the field trip outside to make use of the patio. But I can’t sleep- because I drank a delicious “Fire and Ice” coffee drink at local Satellite Coffee earlier in the day, and caffeine hits me hard. So I crack open The Tree Rings’ Tales and settle into a story about the history of New Mexico…
I wake up before my alarm- 5:58, to the birds chirping outside, and my stomach telling me something about all those sweet potato fries. After a 50 minute power-session of Insanity: the Asulym, I get my game face on for a day of who knows what. I open the gates, raise the flags, clean the bathrooms, straighten out the building, move all the tables and chairs we had set up the night before to the patio, and spend about 20 minutes looking for a tiny piece of technology that I’m responsible for misplacing. Doh.
The field trip is late, so I turn my attention to a beaver dam I spotted. Since being cleared out on Sunday, this guy did quite a bit of work. I’m impressed, and sad to destroy it, but irrigation ditches are no place for Beaver Dams. With mud on my hands, and my pants, and my shirt, and my arms, my phone rings- it’s the teacher saying their buses are late. As I make my way to wash my hands I run into the Exec. Director of one of the organizations I contract with. We chat, I see school buses- the next few hours are a blur of herding 90 1st, 2nd and 3rd graders in the form of a train to various spots on our property. I forgot to mention how much I love that school buses drop kids off outside my bedroom window. I try to explain water chemistry in a way they understand, but end up talking too much and all they want to do is dip a cup in water or shake a bag.
As they load up, I clean the building and the places they went. I find two jackets, a bag of carrots and a ball. I peek into the almost-full trash can and start to pull out plastic water bottles that can be recycled. One of them is full- good job, Kid. One of them is buried in a paper bag. I unbury it, and discover half of a cosmic brownie. With little hesitation, I grab it, inspect it for weird fingerprints or grossness of any kind, then eat, it, savoring in each bite the taste of sweet childhood. Next thing I know, I’m on a bike with my home depot purchases in my backpack headed back to the office for the next big adventure.
Friday, May 2, 2014
Monday, April 21, 2014
Frugal Living
Speaking of Money, which I did in my last blog… I’ve been living in a real house, and buying groceries for the first time in my life for the last two months. It’s been a strange shift to “adulthood”—a term I use really loosely when regarding myself—but I have been able to maintain a conscious despite the fact that room and board is no longer provided as a work stipend.
A few things that help me live cheaper, and usually more sustainably.
1) Kids lose shit. I have not had to purchase sunscreen, ball caps, pens(!) or reusable water bottles in YEARS. I guess this isn’t something that’s replicable for all my readers…but having a finders keepers mentality has saved me some money, and gotten me some cool shit. For example, I would Never spend the money on a glow in the dark Nalgene, some non-comedogenic sunscreen, or a big roller gel pen…but now I have all those things.
2) Businesses gotta stock up. Proud to say I have Never purchased toilet paper. Hmm, maybe that one time I lived on my own in college one summer. But certainly for the last several years of working residential jobs, and even now of working in a park—the Man pays for my toilet paper, and I’m sadly proud of that. I also use no more than 6 squares (if it’s necessary) at a time, but average out around 4. We’re pretty frugal TP users. And I’m sorry if that’s TMI, but I challenge you to use 6 squares of something that’s not 4ply Charmin! J
3) DIY toiletries. The other day I was thinking about how much money I would spend on shampoo (if I had more hair), toothpaste, and deodorant if I didn’t make it myself. Simple household kitchen items go a long way in all these products without using plastic containers, aluminum and sulfites, or requiring transportation costs. Win.
4) On Sale + coupons +discounts. These last two months have been only 2 of the 6 months or so in my LIFE that I have had to purchase my own groceries…and I’ve been having so much fun. When we first got here, we went a little crazy. We successfully avoided all the bagged snack items, but we bought a ton of pantry stockers (which is necessary in a new home). Fortunately, the local co-op (which is AMAZING) was having a bulk-food-discount month, and we saved $50!! The next few weeks we spent an astonishing amount on groceries, and I was tempted to call my mom and ask how she spent the same amount on 5 people that we do with the two of us…but now we have figured it out. I have a chart of how much things typically cost at the lovely local co-op and the larger, big box store, Sprouts. Unfortunately, most things are cheaper at Sprouts, but not everything! We can save quite a bit by knowing what to buy where, and since they’re across the street from each other, we don’t spend a lot on gas by store-hopping. We have also adopted a new method of only buying things on sale. Instead of planning menus with recipes we have, we take advantage of the discount bags (we just got 8 lil’ peppers for $1!) and get creative in the kitchen, making a big batch of something to eat on throughout the week. For a while I was taking advantage of volunteer opportunities around town that are sponsored by the co-op to meet some locals and earn a 18% discount for every hour I volunteered. But now that Amil WORKS at the co-op, we both get perpetual discount cards. Yipee!
5) Bike/Commute I’ll admit, we’re not great at this yet, but we’re trying. We bought some roller blades, and a bike. We live just over a mile from our main “office,” and less than a mile from the Co-op that Amil will be working at. We try to consolidate trips, but ironically, I do the most driving for meetings with the environmental groups I’m a part of. There’s a store we both need things from, and have for over 2 weeks, but we haven’t gone yet because it’s “out of the way.” :) I like that. I also LOVE my bike ride to work and back. It’s warm and the wisteria are blooming and …I’m just falling in love with Albuquerque.
So, I’m sure there’s other things we’re not really aware of to ‘live frugally’ but those are some of the more fun ones I’ve thought of recently. One thing I’m super anal about (probably unnecessarily so) is using the oven. I always want to make sure we have 2 or 3 things to put in the oven so it’s “worth it”. I’m not sure if this is actually efficient, but tonight, for example, I’m bringing my black-bean brownie mix to a friend’s house to use her oven while she’s baking. Silly? Maybe that should be something I examine in my trade-offs website which will hopefully launch soon.
A few things that help me live cheaper, and usually more sustainably.
1) Kids lose shit. I have not had to purchase sunscreen, ball caps, pens(!) or reusable water bottles in YEARS. I guess this isn’t something that’s replicable for all my readers…but having a finders keepers mentality has saved me some money, and gotten me some cool shit. For example, I would Never spend the money on a glow in the dark Nalgene, some non-comedogenic sunscreen, or a big roller gel pen…but now I have all those things.
2) Businesses gotta stock up. Proud to say I have Never purchased toilet paper. Hmm, maybe that one time I lived on my own in college one summer. But certainly for the last several years of working residential jobs, and even now of working in a park—the Man pays for my toilet paper, and I’m sadly proud of that. I also use no more than 6 squares (if it’s necessary) at a time, but average out around 4. We’re pretty frugal TP users. And I’m sorry if that’s TMI, but I challenge you to use 6 squares of something that’s not 4ply Charmin! J
3) DIY toiletries. The other day I was thinking about how much money I would spend on shampoo (if I had more hair), toothpaste, and deodorant if I didn’t make it myself. Simple household kitchen items go a long way in all these products without using plastic containers, aluminum and sulfites, or requiring transportation costs. Win.
4) On Sale + coupons +discounts. These last two months have been only 2 of the 6 months or so in my LIFE that I have had to purchase my own groceries…and I’ve been having so much fun. When we first got here, we went a little crazy. We successfully avoided all the bagged snack items, but we bought a ton of pantry stockers (which is necessary in a new home). Fortunately, the local co-op (which is AMAZING) was having a bulk-food-discount month, and we saved $50!! The next few weeks we spent an astonishing amount on groceries, and I was tempted to call my mom and ask how she spent the same amount on 5 people that we do with the two of us…but now we have figured it out. I have a chart of how much things typically cost at the lovely local co-op and the larger, big box store, Sprouts. Unfortunately, most things are cheaper at Sprouts, but not everything! We can save quite a bit by knowing what to buy where, and since they’re across the street from each other, we don’t spend a lot on gas by store-hopping. We have also adopted a new method of only buying things on sale. Instead of planning menus with recipes we have, we take advantage of the discount bags (we just got 8 lil’ peppers for $1!) and get creative in the kitchen, making a big batch of something to eat on throughout the week. For a while I was taking advantage of volunteer opportunities around town that are sponsored by the co-op to meet some locals and earn a 18% discount for every hour I volunteered. But now that Amil WORKS at the co-op, we both get perpetual discount cards. Yipee!
5) Bike/Commute I’ll admit, we’re not great at this yet, but we’re trying. We bought some roller blades, and a bike. We live just over a mile from our main “office,” and less than a mile from the Co-op that Amil will be working at. We try to consolidate trips, but ironically, I do the most driving for meetings with the environmental groups I’m a part of. There’s a store we both need things from, and have for over 2 weeks, but we haven’t gone yet because it’s “out of the way.” :) I like that. I also LOVE my bike ride to work and back. It’s warm and the wisteria are blooming and …I’m just falling in love with Albuquerque.
So, I’m sure there’s other things we’re not really aware of to ‘live frugally’ but those are some of the more fun ones I’ve thought of recently. One thing I’m super anal about (probably unnecessarily so) is using the oven. I always want to make sure we have 2 or 3 things to put in the oven so it’s “worth it”. I’m not sure if this is actually efficient, but tonight, for example, I’m bringing my black-bean brownie mix to a friend’s house to use her oven while she’s baking. Silly? Maybe that should be something I examine in my trade-offs website which will hopefully launch soon.
Tuesday, April 1, 2014
Shaking the Dust Off, while the wind blows around.
This past week I had the immense privilege of taking an inspiring group of 6th graders to a place I had never been to before. Listed somewhere in the perks of the unbelievable sights, the student’s questions that made me ponder as much as them, and the experiential … experience, is the fact that I got paid to do this.
Yep, it’s my job to drive young'uns around this incredible state, feed them wild things, encourage them to crawl through rocks, and challenge themselves to do things they never even thought about doing. Some people surely believe that I spend my days singing cum-by-ah and kicking soccer balls at kids to whom I’m just another adult at their disposal- but I’m happy to say I have never been in a position like that. Working at current position has enabled me to provide the most insightful, intentional and hands-on education I have ever been able to offer. Sure I have to scorn a few trouble-makers, clean up some toilets and vacuum vans…but the real “dirty” work is the most fun: digging through shallow riverbeds to find what’s lurking beneath rocks, churning adobe bricks with your own hands or feet, or using a “bludgeoning tool” to break off all the lower Ponderosa pine branches as part of sustainable fire ecology.
This past week was particularly enjoyable because it marked my first trip with a school group with this company, my first time to Tent Rocks, and my first time with this particular group of students, who will be joining us for a longer trip later in the spring. At this point I have led groups of students to explore the outdoors in New York, North Carolina, Texas and California, but none of the programs I’ve worked with have emphasized the exploration of Nature quite like this one. Of course we stress safety, and always keep a watchful eye, but when a student can pick up a lizard and give it a name, or scrape a sandstone cliff to feel it erode, you can actually see the moment of understanding and appreciation in their eyes.
What really stood out to me about this visit to Tent Rocks was how much I was able to learn. Another thing that is invaluable about this line of work is that I can constantly grow and learn- as a student and as a teacher. As we ventured into the narrowing canyon, the students’ enthusiasm grew, despite ticking past their usual lunch time. They started to make their own theories about why Ponderosa pines were increasing in density along our walk, and asked each other really good questions about how the sediment layered like it did. Although this may have been a particularly bright group of 6th graders, it was clear that their sense of curiosity was driving them to round each corner, and that a sense of exploration was pushing them to climb toward the top. A rewarding view only further encouraged the fulfillment of time spent in nature, whether learning or just appreciating.
Although this was my first week working with students since December, and this was my first school group in New Mexico, I remembered how natural, and exciting it is to work with young minds, and agile bodies. The trip to Tent Rocks last week was a nice reminder of how to flow into the logistics of leading a group of students through permit-required places, but more excitingly, it released the momentum of the possibilities for us teaching students this spring. Right now I am in the planning stage of several other trips, all overnight, from 2nd grade to 7th grade. I am so excited to design some unique experiences for the youth in this state, and even more excited to get out there in the dust with them, and learn some things.
(Photo by Conservation Lands Foundation)
Yep, it’s my job to drive young'uns around this incredible state, feed them wild things, encourage them to crawl through rocks, and challenge themselves to do things they never even thought about doing. Some people surely believe that I spend my days singing cum-by-ah and kicking soccer balls at kids to whom I’m just another adult at their disposal- but I’m happy to say I have never been in a position like that. Working at current position has enabled me to provide the most insightful, intentional and hands-on education I have ever been able to offer. Sure I have to scorn a few trouble-makers, clean up some toilets and vacuum vans…but the real “dirty” work is the most fun: digging through shallow riverbeds to find what’s lurking beneath rocks, churning adobe bricks with your own hands or feet, or using a “bludgeoning tool” to break off all the lower Ponderosa pine branches as part of sustainable fire ecology.
This past week was particularly enjoyable because it marked my first trip with a school group with this company, my first time to Tent Rocks, and my first time with this particular group of students, who will be joining us for a longer trip later in the spring. At this point I have led groups of students to explore the outdoors in New York, North Carolina, Texas and California, but none of the programs I’ve worked with have emphasized the exploration of Nature quite like this one. Of course we stress safety, and always keep a watchful eye, but when a student can pick up a lizard and give it a name, or scrape a sandstone cliff to feel it erode, you can actually see the moment of understanding and appreciation in their eyes.
What really stood out to me about this visit to Tent Rocks was how much I was able to learn. Another thing that is invaluable about this line of work is that I can constantly grow and learn- as a student and as a teacher. As we ventured into the narrowing canyon, the students’ enthusiasm grew, despite ticking past their usual lunch time. They started to make their own theories about why Ponderosa pines were increasing in density along our walk, and asked each other really good questions about how the sediment layered like it did. Although this may have been a particularly bright group of 6th graders, it was clear that their sense of curiosity was driving them to round each corner, and that a sense of exploration was pushing them to climb toward the top. A rewarding view only further encouraged the fulfillment of time spent in nature, whether learning or just appreciating.
Although this was my first week working with students since December, and this was my first school group in New Mexico, I remembered how natural, and exciting it is to work with young minds, and agile bodies. The trip to Tent Rocks last week was a nice reminder of how to flow into the logistics of leading a group of students through permit-required places, but more excitingly, it released the momentum of the possibilities for us teaching students this spring. Right now I am in the planning stage of several other trips, all overnight, from 2nd grade to 7th grade. I am so excited to design some unique experiences for the youth in this state, and even more excited to get out there in the dust with them, and learn some things.
Sunday, March 23, 2014
Money
My recent stint of re-selling, trying to find value in old things, getting less than I hoped, and so on, has inspired me to write about the green at the center of it all.
When I look around these days, seeing old toy Barbie cars for toddlers turning pale in a pile of grass in someone’s backyard, or watching collectibles go through their cycles on Antique’s road show…I can’t help but feel burdened by the objects. Ever since finding the beauty in simplicity- making music around a campfire with friends, cooking in a kitchen with family, and perhaps just from growing up, I no longer have a will to own anything besides what I will use. Even after all my trips to goodwill and posts on ebay, I have far more things than most people in the world*. An old co-worker who hadn’t yet graduated college told me of her pairing down to 100 items. About 20 of them were clothing related—I think “underwear” counted as one, but the rest were things like pen and notebook, and an iPod. I have substantially more than that, and I have noticed that when I have too much to do, I’m likely not to do anything.
Anyway, this was supposed to be about money.
I’ve been thinking a lot about the value of money lately. We prescribe a value to our currency, but the true value differs from person to person, and even throughout that person’s life. 5 dollars to me as a 10 year old would be likened to $20 now. I was thinking today that spending $60 on a bouquet of flowers for someone isn’t completely out of the price range, but I remember looking through webpages in high school and college and being shocked at how unaffordable a bundle of plants are.
Now, though I have more money now than I ever have, I think I value it less. I see money as the means or the vehicle to help me achieve certain things, like experiences at Cirque de Soleil, or gas to get me across the country. But while flipping channels this morning, I saw a rap singer in a monstrously large white fur coat. To him, money means more than experiences, it is just a show, and that aspect of money is completely unappealing to me.
These last few weeks of living on my own, or as a “real” adult as some of my friends and old co-workers would say, I have felt the annoyance of money more than ever. One day I had to stand in line in two different buildings across town just so to sign my name to a page that says that I will pay tax to the state on the measley money I’m earning. Although it feels good to exchange our currency for things like the Over Easy burger and a drink during happy hour at Blackbird Buvette, or the new bike I’ll be commuting with around town, it can seem like a pain, especially in the “real world.”
In college, I was introduced to the concept of Time Interchange. There’s a new York city chapter, but I haven’t found one yet in NM*. The idea is that all of our time is equally valuable, so I could trade an hour of babysitting for an hour of you fixing my dishwasher. The time you spend on something goes into a “bank” and can be redeemed by anyone within the program.
I have been playing with this idea in the last few weeks- without the online market. I’ve simply been spending some of my free time volunteering, and reeking various benefits from new opportunities. While we were still in Texas I had this realization that a lot of people spend money on things that they don’t have time for- fancy mustards, sour kraut, chocolate- are all things that could be made at home, but if you want all three, it takes some committed time and counter space. But here in our new job… we have that kind of time. As well as a deep curiosity in how many of those things work. And a deep yearning for fresh sour kraut and homemade mustards. So that’s what we’ve been trying to do. Certainly it’s tempting to buy the newest chocolates that the co-op has coupons for, or a bag of tortilla chips on a special, and we have enjoyed some of these products…but it’s also fun to figure out what to do with 20 apples that we dumpstered, or the two dozen eggs that have been given to us from friends with chickens.
I understand that money is just a form of currency that we trade…and with any trade, there are going to be trade-offs. Right now in our lives, I’m appreciating spending more time on things and learning how to live with a little less money- which has taken a little trial and error. :)
When I look around these days, seeing old toy Barbie cars for toddlers turning pale in a pile of grass in someone’s backyard, or watching collectibles go through their cycles on Antique’s road show…I can’t help but feel burdened by the objects. Ever since finding the beauty in simplicity- making music around a campfire with friends, cooking in a kitchen with family, and perhaps just from growing up, I no longer have a will to own anything besides what I will use. Even after all my trips to goodwill and posts on ebay, I have far more things than most people in the world*. An old co-worker who hadn’t yet graduated college told me of her pairing down to 100 items. About 20 of them were clothing related—I think “underwear” counted as one, but the rest were things like pen and notebook, and an iPod. I have substantially more than that, and I have noticed that when I have too much to do, I’m likely not to do anything.
Anyway, this was supposed to be about money.
I’ve been thinking a lot about the value of money lately. We prescribe a value to our currency, but the true value differs from person to person, and even throughout that person’s life. 5 dollars to me as a 10 year old would be likened to $20 now. I was thinking today that spending $60 on a bouquet of flowers for someone isn’t completely out of the price range, but I remember looking through webpages in high school and college and being shocked at how unaffordable a bundle of plants are.
Now, though I have more money now than I ever have, I think I value it less. I see money as the means or the vehicle to help me achieve certain things, like experiences at Cirque de Soleil, or gas to get me across the country. But while flipping channels this morning, I saw a rap singer in a monstrously large white fur coat. To him, money means more than experiences, it is just a show, and that aspect of money is completely unappealing to me.
These last few weeks of living on my own, or as a “real” adult as some of my friends and old co-workers would say, I have felt the annoyance of money more than ever. One day I had to stand in line in two different buildings across town just so to sign my name to a page that says that I will pay tax to the state on the measley money I’m earning. Although it feels good to exchange our currency for things like the Over Easy burger and a drink during happy hour at Blackbird Buvette, or the new bike I’ll be commuting with around town, it can seem like a pain, especially in the “real world.”
In college, I was introduced to the concept of Time Interchange. There’s a new York city chapter, but I haven’t found one yet in NM*. The idea is that all of our time is equally valuable, so I could trade an hour of babysitting for an hour of you fixing my dishwasher. The time you spend on something goes into a “bank” and can be redeemed by anyone within the program.
I have been playing with this idea in the last few weeks- without the online market. I’ve simply been spending some of my free time volunteering, and reeking various benefits from new opportunities. While we were still in Texas I had this realization that a lot of people spend money on things that they don’t have time for- fancy mustards, sour kraut, chocolate- are all things that could be made at home, but if you want all three, it takes some committed time and counter space. But here in our new job… we have that kind of time. As well as a deep curiosity in how many of those things work. And a deep yearning for fresh sour kraut and homemade mustards. So that’s what we’ve been trying to do. Certainly it’s tempting to buy the newest chocolates that the co-op has coupons for, or a bag of tortilla chips on a special, and we have enjoyed some of these products…but it’s also fun to figure out what to do with 20 apples that we dumpstered, or the two dozen eggs that have been given to us from friends with chickens.
I understand that money is just a form of currency that we trade…and with any trade, there are going to be trade-offs. Right now in our lives, I’m appreciating spending more time on things and learning how to live with a little less money- which has taken a little trial and error. :)
Monday, March 10, 2014
The Move
The most valuable thing that has been reinforced in my two months of living back home is that I am a sponge. It may be apparent to readers from our cross country journey, but it didn’t sink in until the last week or so of living with the folks. I guess another way of saying it is that I am adaptive. Perhaps one of the reasons I get along so well in jobs is because I don’t take on a direct personality of my own, but reinstate the values and beliefs of my superiors and peers. It’s not that I don’t have my own values and beliefs, although admittedly they are still forming, it’s just part of my natural character to slide into the attitudes of the people I’m around. This was evident at home, where I put aside my preferences for peeing outside, reading and writing for entertainment, and vegan eating and instead lay on the couch and watch a long movie, nibbled on cheesy delicacies, and utilized modern luxuries that I have been without in my cross country travels.
The point of this realization is that now that I am finally here in my own space with my fiancé, I get to build a space that completely caters to my values, adding in and keeping out the things I observed from staying with friends across the country. Today is the day that I set routines that will hopefully propel me into life patterns, and I feel a mix between pressure and excitement. It’s like a new year in many ways- not only is the weather warming from a mercurial winter, but a new job is starting and my 26th birthday is around the corner. This is an exciting time for my blog, too, because instead of just plopping right into my sustainably-focused mind, I can chart out each decision on a new slate. In fact, to commemorate this, I am switching blogsites. I’m going to shift to Blogger, eventually backlogging all my old tumblr blogs. I think that blogspot is a little more professional looking, with a lot more options, such as people being able to comment*, and it will allow me several tabs to organize my blogs into personal rants like these, DIY projects, and art that I’ve accomplished.
So now that the world knows what’s up, I guess there’s nothing left to do but put down the computer and begin to build my new world, my way, with some help from my fiancé, of course.
—Flash forward 2 weeks:
Designing a creative, functional space where I can be productive and happy has not been as easy as I imagined. I’m writing this from my favorite corner that this morning I dubbed my “office,” which is nothing but a creaky but comfy papasaun and the edge of a desk slightly out of arms distance, now stacked with books, notepads, jump drives, and notebooks. Although I am happy sitting in my ‘office’ where I spent most of yesterday knitting, I can’t help but feel a bit boring. I am slowly getting into the routine that will be my life in this space, which is to say that there is no routine at all. It reminds me of college- navigating appointments and gym hours between classes and meetings. I loved that schedule, thrived in it, even…and yet I feel so displaced from it here. I love living in Albuquerque, and I’ve been trying to take advantage of every little opportunity that presents itself to me- like I also did in college. But I don’t feel ‘at home’ yet. The walls are decorated with our favorite designs, the counters are full of our beloved things, and yet, I’m unsure how to interact with the space. Perhaps I’m not sure how to redefine home now that I have the opportunity to make a space away from my parents and the people and spaces I called home for most of my life, even if I have been removed from those spaces for several years. I guess home is where the heart is and although my stuff is here, and I like it here, I’m not in Love yet, and my heart remains in those humid summer nights, the crunch of the oak leaves under the drying crab grass, and the handful of days when the windows can be open and the inside and outside world are in harmony. Will I ever find a home like that again? Will it take another 18 years of living in one place to have the roots of my heart remain so firmly in one place? I imagine Austin will always be home, even as the city that once revealed such possibility to me, is now foreign and threatening. But can I make this place feel like home in my heart, knowing that I won’t be living here for 18 years, or probably even 1/4th of that.
I guess through the last 6 years of moving around, I have held home my heart, absorbing how others interact with me and the spaces I live in…and now that there are no more attitudes to pick up, no more ideals to imitate…I’m left with my empty artwork, and this big old space wondering where I start making the connections just between me and the land. And how?
The point of this realization is that now that I am finally here in my own space with my fiancé, I get to build a space that completely caters to my values, adding in and keeping out the things I observed from staying with friends across the country. Today is the day that I set routines that will hopefully propel me into life patterns, and I feel a mix between pressure and excitement. It’s like a new year in many ways- not only is the weather warming from a mercurial winter, but a new job is starting and my 26th birthday is around the corner. This is an exciting time for my blog, too, because instead of just plopping right into my sustainably-focused mind, I can chart out each decision on a new slate. In fact, to commemorate this, I am switching blogsites. I’m going to shift to Blogger, eventually backlogging all my old tumblr blogs. I think that blogspot is a little more professional looking, with a lot more options, such as people being able to comment*, and it will allow me several tabs to organize my blogs into personal rants like these, DIY projects, and art that I’ve accomplished.
So now that the world knows what’s up, I guess there’s nothing left to do but put down the computer and begin to build my new world, my way, with some help from my fiancé, of course.
—Flash forward 2 weeks:
Designing a creative, functional space where I can be productive and happy has not been as easy as I imagined. I’m writing this from my favorite corner that this morning I dubbed my “office,” which is nothing but a creaky but comfy papasaun and the edge of a desk slightly out of arms distance, now stacked with books, notepads, jump drives, and notebooks. Although I am happy sitting in my ‘office’ where I spent most of yesterday knitting, I can’t help but feel a bit boring. I am slowly getting into the routine that will be my life in this space, which is to say that there is no routine at all. It reminds me of college- navigating appointments and gym hours between classes and meetings. I loved that schedule, thrived in it, even…and yet I feel so displaced from it here. I love living in Albuquerque, and I’ve been trying to take advantage of every little opportunity that presents itself to me- like I also did in college. But I don’t feel ‘at home’ yet. The walls are decorated with our favorite designs, the counters are full of our beloved things, and yet, I’m unsure how to interact with the space. Perhaps I’m not sure how to redefine home now that I have the opportunity to make a space away from my parents and the people and spaces I called home for most of my life, even if I have been removed from those spaces for several years. I guess home is where the heart is and although my stuff is here, and I like it here, I’m not in Love yet, and my heart remains in those humid summer nights, the crunch of the oak leaves under the drying crab grass, and the handful of days when the windows can be open and the inside and outside world are in harmony. Will I ever find a home like that again? Will it take another 18 years of living in one place to have the roots of my heart remain so firmly in one place? I imagine Austin will always be home, even as the city that once revealed such possibility to me, is now foreign and threatening. But can I make this place feel like home in my heart, knowing that I won’t be living here for 18 years, or probably even 1/4th of that.
I guess through the last 6 years of moving around, I have held home my heart, absorbing how others interact with me and the spaces I live in…and now that there are no more attitudes to pick up, no more ideals to imitate…I’m left with my empty artwork, and this big old space wondering where I start making the connections just between me and the land. And how?
Friday, March 7, 2014
Catching Up
Oh, hello, Blog world… Boy do I have some news for you.
Just two weeks ago I moved to my first house (sort of), in a new city, to begin a new job (well, string of jobs). I’ll let that series of events speak for itself as my excuse for my blogging hiatus, but I’m back now with ample material on sustainable decision-making. Before I dive into all that, I believe I have some back-blogging to do. (rather than post part 2 of piles and piles in a separate blog, I’m attaching it to the first one, if anyone is interested in reading about how much money I made selling dolls in the street. )
2/20
Growing Up…
Perhaps the hardest thing about getting older is not being “a kid” anymore. I mean, not to my parents. My mom says that I will always be her kiddo, which is true…but having my dad accompany me for our move to Albuquerque was a sort of reality check that I’m not their little girl anymore. At age 26 (almost), I guess it was about time.
I don’t think it was just because I was paying for the gas, and the food along the way— I appreciate being able to demonstrate my financial fortitude. I think it was playing host to my Dad in my new house that sent the shockwave. After two months of living back at home, after 3 years of traveling around the country, and 4 months before that of living back at home…all after announcing to my college counselor that I would do “anything but live with my parents after college,” I am finally in a solid structure to call my own that allows me to host guests, such as my dad.
So far this new home-owning, house renting thing has been a completely surreal experience. Last week Amil and I went to a bar downtown for a poetry reading, and it was really strange to realize that we were here, in “our town” without hosts, or a rental car, or a train to take to a house we were staying in for a while… nope, we just walked to our car and drove home (stopping at some dumpsters on the way, no luck though). Of course there are social perks of being a grown-up. We had some people over for a house warming party and stayed up all the way past midnight! We can go grocery shopping whenever we want and get whatever we want to fill our fridge and pantry…and you better believe those things are filled. But this grown-up thing has some hassles, too. Registering as a Sole Proprietor? Blah. Signing up (again) for health insurance, knowing that I have to go through the process again in a few weeks when I get my first proof of income? Paying rent. Some of these annoyances have had me considering if this swift move to “adulthood,” and out of residential jobs was really a good idea. A quick punch of the numbers shows that I’m not making as much money as I would be at my old job. But… I have a 27 acre backyard (I guess I had the whole forest there), and a solid group of friends (that I’m tighter with than the 30 people in my community previously), anddd we can cook and eat whatever we want, and damn, it’s been good.
So this is all still feeling surreal. I imagine that by the time I’ve had enough and dive back into grad school, it will finally start feeling normal, only to be tipped on it’s head again. But heck, I just read about a woman who’s 117 years old…and that’s a long ass time to be a grown-up. I’m gonna take my time settling in to anything for now. And just enjoy the ride. And the black bean cupcakes. And coconut ice cream.
Just two weeks ago I moved to my first house (sort of), in a new city, to begin a new job (well, string of jobs). I’ll let that series of events speak for itself as my excuse for my blogging hiatus, but I’m back now with ample material on sustainable decision-making. Before I dive into all that, I believe I have some back-blogging to do. (rather than post part 2 of piles and piles in a separate blog, I’m attaching it to the first one, if anyone is interested in reading about how much money I made selling dolls in the street. )
2/20
Growing Up…
Perhaps the hardest thing about getting older is not being “a kid” anymore. I mean, not to my parents. My mom says that I will always be her kiddo, which is true…but having my dad accompany me for our move to Albuquerque was a sort of reality check that I’m not their little girl anymore. At age 26 (almost), I guess it was about time.
I don’t think it was just because I was paying for the gas, and the food along the way— I appreciate being able to demonstrate my financial fortitude. I think it was playing host to my Dad in my new house that sent the shockwave. After two months of living back at home, after 3 years of traveling around the country, and 4 months before that of living back at home…all after announcing to my college counselor that I would do “anything but live with my parents after college,” I am finally in a solid structure to call my own that allows me to host guests, such as my dad.
So far this new home-owning, house renting thing has been a completely surreal experience. Last week Amil and I went to a bar downtown for a poetry reading, and it was really strange to realize that we were here, in “our town” without hosts, or a rental car, or a train to take to a house we were staying in for a while… nope, we just walked to our car and drove home (stopping at some dumpsters on the way, no luck though). Of course there are social perks of being a grown-up. We had some people over for a house warming party and stayed up all the way past midnight! We can go grocery shopping whenever we want and get whatever we want to fill our fridge and pantry…and you better believe those things are filled. But this grown-up thing has some hassles, too. Registering as a Sole Proprietor? Blah. Signing up (again) for health insurance, knowing that I have to go through the process again in a few weeks when I get my first proof of income? Paying rent. Some of these annoyances have had me considering if this swift move to “adulthood,” and out of residential jobs was really a good idea. A quick punch of the numbers shows that I’m not making as much money as I would be at my old job. But… I have a 27 acre backyard (I guess I had the whole forest there), and a solid group of friends (that I’m tighter with than the 30 people in my community previously), anddd we can cook and eat whatever we want, and damn, it’s been good.
So this is all still feeling surreal. I imagine that by the time I’ve had enough and dive back into grad school, it will finally start feeling normal, only to be tipped on it’s head again. But heck, I just read about a woman who’s 117 years old…and that’s a long ass time to be a grown-up. I’m gonna take my time settling in to anything for now. And just enjoy the ride. And the black bean cupcakes. And coconut ice cream.
Saturday, February 8, 2014
A new poem about Water Conservation for Kids-- eh, kind of.
"Oh Hello, Jane, why, can you meet"
“I’d love to, Bob, but I am beat”
"Why don’t you jump on in the shower?
we’ll meet up in about an hour”
"That’s just the thing, there is no water
as this earth is getting hotter
I feel guilty drinking to stay alive
knowing towns down the river are at a stage 5
Well, there’s a solution that I have come to—
you can just take a little rinsey poo
a quick ol scrub of soap will do
no need to reach for that shampoo
Studies have shown that the cleaner you get
the more you notice when dirt gets set
washing once a week isn’t so gross*
when everyone does it, we can make it ‘the most’
"So i"ll take a little rinsey poo
Do you think just a drop of facewash will do?
I’ve read that most of it goes straight down the drain
and to me that sounds pretty insane
That’s right- you can half what you usually use
and the time you usually do it in, too
and one more thing— where most people say “f**k it”
try letter cold water pour into a bucket
as you warm up the water and take off your pants
you could later use the bucket to water the plants
Alright- I’ll take a rinsey poo,
but there’s one more thing I think we should do
instead of using water for me and for you
Come shower with me- there’s room for two.
“I’d love to, Bob, but I am beat”
"Why don’t you jump on in the shower?
we’ll meet up in about an hour”
"That’s just the thing, there is no water
as this earth is getting hotter
I feel guilty drinking to stay alive
knowing towns down the river are at a stage 5
Well, there’s a solution that I have come to—
you can just take a little rinsey poo
a quick ol scrub of soap will do
no need to reach for that shampoo
Studies have shown that the cleaner you get
the more you notice when dirt gets set
washing once a week isn’t so gross*
when everyone does it, we can make it ‘the most’
"So i"ll take a little rinsey poo
Do you think just a drop of facewash will do?
I’ve read that most of it goes straight down the drain
and to me that sounds pretty insane
That’s right- you can half what you usually use
and the time you usually do it in, too
and one more thing— where most people say “f**k it”
try letter cold water pour into a bucket
as you warm up the water and take off your pants
you could later use the bucket to water the plants
Alright- I’ll take a rinsey poo,
but there’s one more thing I think we should do
instead of using water for me and for you
Come shower with me- there’s room for two.
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