The New "Serious" Blog

I'm starting this second blog to record the more life-altering milestones of my life in Hawaii. I came here 18 months ago to live a simpler life, of my own choosing. I've left the corporate world and rat-race with the goal to build a scaled down, more self-sustaining lifestyle for myself. At present, my goals include:

* completely off grid via solar PV, wind, water catchment, greywater filtration & composting toilet
* shipping container house, completely mobile in 48 hours, securable for hurricanes in 24 hours
* garden to provide all veggies, fruits and grains.
* fish pond and chickens for protein
* solar oven, solar food dehydrator, smoker for food prep and preservation
* manmade cave/rootcellar for food storage
* learn to live without a refrigerator
* reuse/recycled/scavenge as many materials as possible
* provide a minimal impact on the land I inhabit.
* form a community of like minded individuals & support each other
* keep my ethics and these goals intact no matter how hard it gets or how others behave
* remember: I really don't need 90% of the things I think I want
* get back to my healthy food habits, get off the crack-ass junk food I started eating when I got to Hawaii.
* live pesticide and chemical free
* canning foods
* bowhut wild pig & learn to field dress
* safely dress chicken

A lot on my plate? You bet. If you think I'm crazy, get in line. It's going to be hard. So far it's been great.

I have passed some of the greatest hurdles already. I have given away my possessions & moved here. That's huge. Letting go of my CRAP and realizing how much I do NOT need to be happy.

I quit my job. I quit a 3 hour per day commute. I do not use gas to go work. I do not work 60 hour weeks. I am not stressed beyond my emotional means. I do not HAVE to work to pay for rent, food and gas. Instead, I am self employed in a completely new career that lets me work from home. Some days I work 4 hours in the garden...I'm self employed making my own food so I don't have to buy it, or have the job to buy it, or the gas to drive to the grocery store.

I practiced for three years before I started this. Recycle, compost, conserving water, conserving electricity, doing without. Asking myself "do I really need that"? How many watts does that thing use? I spent my free time learning useful skills for a more self-sufficent homestead..if I need it, can I make it myself? If it breaks, can I fix it? If it has to be installed I must be able to do it.

I have 90% of the materials and knowledge base to build all of the things i need to build. I just have to get off my ass and do it. Quickly too.

More later.