Going back to look ahead

Sometimes it's necessary to go backward to go forward again.

So what have I done over the last few years?

The first thing I did was cut off the satellite dish. I don't need the propaganda and I don't need the "400 channels but nothing to watch" syndrome. Second thing I did was get rid of the landline phone. A cell phone and a landline is not necessary. Not for us, anyway. Likewise, a contract with $20 in fees every month is also not needed. We got a good deal on pre-paid service and can spend as little or as much every month adding minutes, text messaging, internet, etc. We save about $45 a month off the big cell phone company prices and if you include the cost of a landline, we save $90 total. Add the satellite and we save $180 off communications each month.

Next thing was budget. What do we really spend? And do we really need to spend it? I've sorted out fixed and flexible expenses as well as non-necessity spending. I found out I work very well with cash as opposed to numbers on an ATM screen. I implemented an envelope system to keep track.

I keep 80% of my money in the local economy. Local farms and independent businesses get most of my money. I belong to a food co-op, community supported agriculte (or CSA) and shop at farmers markets or direct-to-farm as much as possible.

The 20% that is not local, I try to buy used. I have bought mostly used books for instance.

I get things free when I can. I learn to compromise too. Sometimes I have to settle for what I can get, not what I want. Barter and trade is similar to that.

I've learned to protect my privacy as much as possible. I tried for a time to do the "right thing" and play the Good Citizen card and it got me in trouble. I'm very careful about people knowing where I live or how to contact me. The information that can be found on a person with the simplest of internet searches is astounding. And should frighten everyone.

I cook from home, from scratch using as many non-electric methods and appliances as possible. I used to love eating out. Now I find the food to be awful and the expense leaves my stomach sour if the food itself does not. * I am a patron of a few local privately-owned restaurants that serve good food, but I'm careful how often I go.

I cut out chemicals as much as possible. I learned to read labels a long time ago when I was going through my decade-long crash diet. That's the only good that came from doing that to myself.

I make some of my own staple foods like butter, buttermilk and bread. Unfortunately I have to buy flour but hopefully not for long.

We make our own soap, lotions, shampoo, etc. it's not difficult at all once you get the hang of it.

I try to take care of my health. It's a big one for me and for most people if they're honest with themselves.

I've learned skills at things that I never would have dreamed of. I've learned ways of living that I never thought possible. I've learned things about our society, politics and economy that I never considered before. I found out things about myself I didn't know before. I never realized I had such courage in me to go forth with such plans. I can climb a mountain, but I'm never certain if I really have what it takes to be successful in life. I see I have more determination and fortitude than I ever gave myself credit for. I've challenged myself to be my best. I've challenged myself to care where my money and time goes and why. I've challenged myself to let go of any greedy notions and materialism. I've challenged myself to make a life for me that will make it all worth it in the end where I can have the peace on my deathbed that comes with not needing to doubt my honesty, integrity, depth, character, ability, ambition, courage and most of all compassion and connection with other people and living things.

Most of my work has been done over the last year, but I began extremely slowly about 3 years ago. Not bad progress for the time frame.

I posted this elsewhere, but it needs to be put here too. These are my 2009 resolutions that are relevant to this blog:

- Save money
- Save MORE money
- Move from Stockpile Mode to Save Mode. I don't have room for anymore doomer supplies unless I rent a storage... oh wait!
- Check prices on small storage units within walking distance.
- Don't let that be an excuse to not save money! It does not need to look like a personal Costco! Especially considering how vulnerable it is.
- Get rid of junk in the house.
- Set aside 8 hours a week minimum to do nothing but that.
- Get a PO box and set up our LLC
- Make an itemized list of all the things I need to equip my trailer with or make myself. It's all just thrown together right now.
- Buy my new house in cash! Both the travel trailer and truck.
- Disappear off into the wild blue yonder. Or, you know, to the quiet little RV park outside town.

As for other stuff...

- Take classes that are relevant to the off-the-grid lifestyle and post collapse world.
- Find other doomers near me living similarly to network with, and preferably some in other Western states as well since I'm mobile.
- Make friends with the farmer closest to where we'll be parked the majority of the time.
- Volunteer. Both at places that would benefit me and places that I could benefit.
- Go hunting and fishing alot more.
- Join the CSA farm in the spring and go work on the garden in exchange for my share of food.
- Work like mad all winter long sewing clothes and making useful crafts so come Spring and Summer, I can sell my stuff at the farmer's market and won't have to work much during the fun months.
- Exercise more now. It's easy in the warmer months, but in the winter I just want to hibernate. Then I have to spend 3 weeks in the Spring getting back into shape.

This is a nice rough guide. I should write it out in pencil and elaborate alot.

Moving along

This past month has been such a lull. I haven't done much of anything that I should have done. I think I needed the break even though I tried not to take it. I spent Thanksgiving week with the in-laws and wound up snowed in, right on the interstate less than 100 miles from home. Now I sit here with a sprained ankle from snow boots that were not supportive enough. I've been taking good care of it, so I expect it to heal rather nicely. My training as a gymnast and figure skater has given great agility, flexibility and balance -- but weak ankles.

The news has been full of doom lately and I realize I haven't been full of enough doom to get me moving on my plans. I spent November in a haze of some kind. I stockpiled a little more, but I'm re-thinking the notion of doing anymore of that. We are moving into a travel trailer full time and won't have room for everything. And if something should happen and we can no longer pay rent here before we get the trailer, there certainly won't be a place for all of that. So it's back to the whiteboard for my plans. Having alot of food and supplies is great... but have you ever seen a homeless person lugging around 6 months worth of stuff? Me either.

I think I need to stop right here at the stockpiling and start saving that money instead. I have a feeling at Tax Time this year, we are going to wind up on the losing end. However, both the husband and I are getting a raise in January but I have no illusions about job security. Come April, perhaps taxes will be the least of everyone's concern. I hope things hold together for a few more months. We desperately need that time to save for and acquire our new permanent home. As long as I have shelter and at least a ration of food and water, I'll be perfectly fine. Being without shelter bothers me more than being without food. I have lived in some extreme climates and I know what the heat and cold can do.

I can't stress enough how mental this all is. My struggle or success with this or that is about 90-95% mental. It has little to do with the amount of money we do or don't have. It's more about how well I can prepare myself for change and how well I can slide through the transition, out the other side. Everyone has things holding them back, some are just more detrimental to this sort of thing than others. I need to reel in those issues and get real about the future. It's frustrating how slow change can be.

The harvesting season.

It's that time of the year; harvesting what we've sewn for the last growing season. I got a few more stockpile items today. There were some decent sales on canned goods and I am in love with whole wheat pastry flour. I checked out the camping section and made some notes for my future needs.

I'm surprised at myself how good I am with cash. I often forget I do in fact have a grocery budget and it's perfectly ok to buy food! I am not going over budget if I spend $20 at the farmer's market! I believe that was the first food purchase of the month and I'm already thinking it's too much. A far cry from my former thinking while using plastic (including debit) that "another $20" won't hurt when in fact, it was.

I have a knitting class tomorrow night. I'm hoping to add that to my list of cottage industry skills. No such thing as too many of those. I have about 6 other things under that umbrella that I know how to do and actively already pursue. If I can learn how to knit it'll certainly make the off grid winters go by easier... and warmer!

Gathering food, cash and skills! Can't beat that harvest.

The film starts rolling

I'm documenting one of my biggest journey's to date here, which is the transition into an off-the-grid homesteading lifestyle from your average American middle class life. This could get interesting.

I plan on posting updates to progress, both on the tangible level and on a mental level. It's a journey of far more than just mileage, it's about the distance I'm willing to take myself to live my dreams. You'll find out more about those as the blog progresses.

The stats: I'm a fairly young educated woman with a husband and cats. Above all else I consider myself an artist and craftswoman and have set out to reclaim those things which have been lost for far too long. I enjoy an incredible amount of things in life and seek to discover much about myself and the world at large. I've lived alot in my years but I could live 5 lifetimes and never do all I wanted just in this one.

- Queen