This past week I went on a vacation with a few friends for another friend's birthday. We stayed at an Earthship. I don't know if you've ever heard of an Earthship before, but they've got to be the coolest thing in the world. Yes, there are problems with the design. Like everything that's self-sustaining, it requires some level of sacrifice. Did I say self-sustaining? Yes, yes I did. These homes are built to capture rain water as their primary water source and harvest solar and wind power as their sole source of energy. Because of the way it's designed, you can keep your home at a steady 70 degrees year round, no matter where you live. We were in Taos, where it was in the 70s during the day and 30s at night, but the main living quarters were comfortable all day.
Also, the front portion is a greenhouse, so you could grow a good portion of your own food. There's some proprietary technology involved, but most of the materials look pretty inexpensive. If you're willing to do most of the labor yourself, you could probably live off the grid in one of those things pretty cheaply.
Plus, with the way our grid system works for electricity and water, it might not be a bad idea to think of alternative ways to build homes. You sacrifice size and uniformity (these things can be a little funky, if you're not into it), for self-sufficiency and a green life-style. I'm up for it, but I don't think my HOA would let me do it. Might be time to think about moving to someplace a little less restrictive.
Check it out:
Where we stayed
More Earthships
Monday, October 22, 2018
Thursday, October 11, 2018
Sense Memories and Wax Icons
When I was a kid we used to go to the San Antonio zoo every year. It was one of my favorite trips, not just because of the animals (which were fantastic), but because we always got a souvenir.
There are there machines called "Mold-A-Rama"s that make was casts of different animals at the zoo. I don't even know if the machines are still there, but when I was a kid, getting one of those things was one of the highlights of the trip. I would watch the machines making my animal, then it would fall down into a pocket where I would pick it up. The smell was fantastic, hot wax. It may sound weird, but that hot wax smell was magic, especially when holding a still cooling giraffe or elephant in my happy little hands. It had a slightly more oily small than candle wax, maybe like cooking oil. And, it would fade so slowly that I almost couldn't notice until there were only faint whiffs of it every now and again.
It was like a scavenger hunt, trying to find every machine and collect each animal mold, especially since I could only get one per trip.
Sometimes, on the long ride home, I'd press my face up to my magic wax animal to make the zoo last just a little longer.
There are there machines called "Mold-A-Rama"s that make was casts of different animals at the zoo. I don't even know if the machines are still there, but when I was a kid, getting one of those things was one of the highlights of the trip. I would watch the machines making my animal, then it would fall down into a pocket where I would pick it up. The smell was fantastic, hot wax. It may sound weird, but that hot wax smell was magic, especially when holding a still cooling giraffe or elephant in my happy little hands. It had a slightly more oily small than candle wax, maybe like cooking oil. And, it would fade so slowly that I almost couldn't notice until there were only faint whiffs of it every now and again.
It was like a scavenger hunt, trying to find every machine and collect each animal mold, especially since I could only get one per trip.
Sometimes, on the long ride home, I'd press my face up to my magic wax animal to make the zoo last just a little longer.
Monday, October 1, 2018
Food Truck
A friend of mine (or a sort of friend, someone who I want to be a friend, who I've met and would like to know better because she's pretty awesome, but is a Facebook friend - wow, way too much unpacking there) is opening a food truck. It's a rough business and takes a lot of work. I'm sure she's up for it, but I can't imagine why anyone who isn't a chef would want to do such a thing. She's a singer/songwriter and she's truly fantastic.
This does make me think, though, about how many dreams we're allowed to follow at a time. She wants to have a food truck with good soul food (vegetarian with some completely began items - YAY!). And, now she's going to do that while also doing her music. It's great to think that she can do bother. Brave and bold, and well, I'd get stuck on the timing of it.
Food trucks are usually open on weekend nights, but that's when the best music gigs are. Maybe you can cook the food in advance (low and slow does make the best soul food) and have someone else serve, but then people also like their food fresh and made to order.
I can hold myself back all I want. Just because I do, doesn't mean she does. It makes me happy that she's pursuing it anyway, and when it opens - maybe at the end of the month, I'll send a shout out and a link.
In the mean time, my job is to be supportive and helpful because everyone has a dream or three.
This does make me think, though, about how many dreams we're allowed to follow at a time. She wants to have a food truck with good soul food (vegetarian with some completely began items - YAY!). And, now she's going to do that while also doing her music. It's great to think that she can do bother. Brave and bold, and well, I'd get stuck on the timing of it.
Food trucks are usually open on weekend nights, but that's when the best music gigs are. Maybe you can cook the food in advance (low and slow does make the best soul food) and have someone else serve, but then people also like their food fresh and made to order.
I can hold myself back all I want. Just because I do, doesn't mean she does. It makes me happy that she's pursuing it anyway, and when it opens - maybe at the end of the month, I'll send a shout out and a link.
In the mean time, my job is to be supportive and helpful because everyone has a dream or three.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)