Do We Control Our Ideas or do They Control Us?
Honestly, these days I'm just not feeling it. I'm tired of being in New York at this point. Its been just about three years now, and I need something new. I'm also far away from my family and most of my friends, and my girlfriend is even further away in Hong Kong.
How did I get into this? Well, when I came here initially, I had only been working for a year in Europe, and I was excited to work back in the States for a while. I was also single, so there was no one to feel apart from. Work is still good, but its not good enough to sacrifice my ideals and frankly my happiness at this point. WORK IN NY...SAVE LOTS OF MONEY...BUILD HOUSE IN WOODSTOCK...THEN TRAVEL....repeat that a billion times. Was this idea controlling me?
I'm pretty sure that I'm going to stay here well into winter though and just try and squeeze out as much $$$ as I can before taking my next journey. I'm so settled in now, and Ive only been here since May. I hate moving around.
There is just so much out there! And seriously...a good deal of it is really affordable and so exciting. You dont end up staying somewhere for $100 or even $50 a night. You wouldnt believe how cheap lodging is in some of these countries. And with the WWOOF Program (www.wwoof.org) the possibilities are REALLY endless.
I want fresh air. Hell, I feel bad for large and even medium-sized dogs in the city...(you know what I mean...no where to really run around and do what dogs naturally do)...well how about feeling sorry for the HUMAN that's stuck in the city? This is all something very new to us as well. When you really step back and look at the whole picture, you will realize that life in this modern system is a completely new way of life on this planet. Civilization is NOT the norm...
http://www.yurts.com/default.aspx
Check this out. Im thinking about putting one of these on 2-3 acres and planting fruit trees and having big veg gardens and solar panels. A really nice one costs about $11,000 and then you can use your extra $$$ for traveling in the winter (although these things are very livable in cold climates...they were developed in Mongolia).
So, live in a yurt for 4-6 months a year, then travel on a frugal, yet exciting itinerary during the off season. A person could even rent them out to travelers who want to experience luxury camping. It could be really easy income.
If 20 people were to join together and split the cost of 20 acres, and then each bought a yurt, they could be living without mortgage and possibly food and electric bills for the rest of their life if they choose.
We have to do what makes us happy. Many of us cannot do that activity full-time or even part-time because we are stuck spending our productive time on what makes us money. If we can decrease our monthly expenses, we can decrease the hours of work needed to pay off the debt. That leaves more time for creation and playing, and that could be the whole idea about why we are here.
So for those of us that still have to trade our hours to pay for what we spend our money on, let us try to realize happiness in other things besides material wealth and in doing so reduce our required working hours. However, I have to fully support the idea of serious work coupled with low-luxury living for at least 3-5 years in order to save up enough to make a down payment on land and your house (or shelter...like a yurt).
A single person could devote 5 years to working around 12 hours a day, saving up and planning for the future. If they live simply, there is no reason they couldnt have $100,000 by the end of 5 years. This can still buy quite a good deal of land in rural areas even in the US and it can surely purchase you a yurt and enough money to set up a very productive permaculture system.
Lets keep working towards our liberation from bad debt and the lure of materialism.
Oh...and the pic on top? I was a bartender at an event where they were decorating with wheatgrass trays. They were going to throw so many away...but I was able to get all of these in one big carboard box and get it on the subway and carry it home. I really earned those...crazy kid. That was about two years ago.
Talk soon...feel free to comment! I love to read them!
How did I get into this? Well, when I came here initially, I had only been working for a year in Europe, and I was excited to work back in the States for a while. I was also single, so there was no one to feel apart from. Work is still good, but its not good enough to sacrifice my ideals and frankly my happiness at this point. WORK IN NY...SAVE LOTS OF MONEY...BUILD HOUSE IN WOODSTOCK...THEN TRAVEL....repeat that a billion times. Was this idea controlling me?
I'm pretty sure that I'm going to stay here well into winter though and just try and squeeze out as much $$$ as I can before taking my next journey. I'm so settled in now, and Ive only been here since May. I hate moving around.
There is just so much out there! And seriously...a good deal of it is really affordable and so exciting. You dont end up staying somewhere for $100 or even $50 a night. You wouldnt believe how cheap lodging is in some of these countries. And with the WWOOF Program (www.wwoof.org) the possibilities are REALLY endless.
I want fresh air. Hell, I feel bad for large and even medium-sized dogs in the city...(you know what I mean...no where to really run around and do what dogs naturally do)...well how about feeling sorry for the HUMAN that's stuck in the city? This is all something very new to us as well. When you really step back and look at the whole picture, you will realize that life in this modern system is a completely new way of life on this planet. Civilization is NOT the norm...
http://www.yurts.com/default.aspx
Check this out. Im thinking about putting one of these on 2-3 acres and planting fruit trees and having big veg gardens and solar panels. A really nice one costs about $11,000 and then you can use your extra $$$ for traveling in the winter (although these things are very livable in cold climates...they were developed in Mongolia).
So, live in a yurt for 4-6 months a year, then travel on a frugal, yet exciting itinerary during the off season. A person could even rent them out to travelers who want to experience luxury camping. It could be really easy income.
If 20 people were to join together and split the cost of 20 acres, and then each bought a yurt, they could be living without mortgage and possibly food and electric bills for the rest of their life if they choose.
We have to do what makes us happy. Many of us cannot do that activity full-time or even part-time because we are stuck spending our productive time on what makes us money. If we can decrease our monthly expenses, we can decrease the hours of work needed to pay off the debt. That leaves more time for creation and playing, and that could be the whole idea about why we are here.
So for those of us that still have to trade our hours to pay for what we spend our money on, let us try to realize happiness in other things besides material wealth and in doing so reduce our required working hours. However, I have to fully support the idea of serious work coupled with low-luxury living for at least 3-5 years in order to save up enough to make a down payment on land and your house (or shelter...like a yurt).
A single person could devote 5 years to working around 12 hours a day, saving up and planning for the future. If they live simply, there is no reason they couldnt have $100,000 by the end of 5 years. This can still buy quite a good deal of land in rural areas even in the US and it can surely purchase you a yurt and enough money to set up a very productive permaculture system.
Lets keep working towards our liberation from bad debt and the lure of materialism.
Oh...and the pic on top? I was a bartender at an event where they were decorating with wheatgrass trays. They were going to throw so many away...but I was able to get all of these in one big carboard box and get it on the subway and carry it home. I really earned those...crazy kid. That was about two years ago.
Talk soon...feel free to comment! I love to read them!
4 comments:
I love the Yurt idea! Thanks for the links!
Hi
My friend Tanja (whose site you'd love - www.freshtopia.net) - just refered me to your site....I live a similar life and am going through very similar things, thoughts, ideas - I feel very strongly about what you said in this particular post----- and that we have to build communities - eco-villages. The world we live in now doesn't support our greatest intentions. Its sad and lonely. The city that once felt pulsating with possiblilty and excitement now seems like a life-sucking vampire that feeds on spending spending spending. The whole design is unnatural. It seems exciting on the outset, but it doesnt feed anyone truly in touch with their soul. These cities weren't designed with intention. we have to look into the history of our world, and realize that its our generation that is here to make a new way for people. Please check out my blog also! I write about this kinda stuff, and vegan living, and music. - http://earcandyandsoulfood.blogspot.com
take care!
hey anthony!
i know this is waaaay past commenting time already but.. in relation to this post- what are your ideas on travelling green? i too am planning the whole eco lifesyle with travel options thing but flying anywhere on a plane just kills the environment. i was thinking about driving from malaysia to the UK or taking trains. i'd love to know if you have any ideas about this.
also.. what do you think about the eating local idea? in some places, perhaps even in nyc, unless you grow things yourself it's pretty hard to eat organic, local and raw.. what do you think?
by the way i'd love if you'd read my blog even though i rarely update it :)
rock on!
greenlove
miin
Hey there Anthony!
I found your site randomly and after reading your very inspiring blogs after an hour. Through the incredible enthusiastic energy I already feel enlightened to make a change in my own life.
I nearly died laughing when I saw the picture of the bed surrounded by wheatgrass boxes. ha ha
I personally have found a great solution to having to have to grow my own wheatgrass by using freeze dried capsules such as a product called Sweet Wheat. Perfect for on the go people such as yourself...
Anyways, keep on posting and thank you for the inspiration.
Take care,
~Amber
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