This is a great column, already doing a lot of this.. we built a chicken coop over the summer, and put in a bigger garden. We are getting a half dozen fresh eggs a day.
That is awesome, Jerry! My husband and I just built our coop and our run. We will get some chicks in early 2023 and fingers crossed on fresh eggs not too long after that :).
I love hearing these things Jerry. We expanded our garden here as well. The confidence these kinds of things builds is amazing. The security we feel when we know that we have a bit of control in our lives is a boon to our psyche and our peace of mind. Thanks for sharing! :)
Love all the sentiments you expressed, Rob! I started making my own granola instead of buying it. It's a small thing, but my version is fresher, with few additives, and just tastes way better. It's now the highlight of my morning routine (aside from coffee, of course).
Thanks for sharing Pancake Princess. You know, to someone else, they might think that it's silly to think something so simple is providing liberty or changing anything in the world (You know that I don't think that of course!). But I imagine that you feel a sense of liberation knowing that you can make your own and that consuming it makes you feel good about yourself and boosts your confidence as well. You know the way I am... I never think that "the little things" don't matter. I absolutely believe that every single little thing we do that removes us from "the system" makes a difference. And, I can't end without repeating my mantra: It may not change "the" world, but it changes *our own* world, and that it what truly matters.
Having done nearly everything on your list already (the garden is still in progress, getting the soil ready for a late winter early spring sowing of seeds), the only thing I'd add is reading in place of "watching". The difference between reading a book, or even articles and posts, and passively "watching" has been quite life changing. I've ditched the telescreen, and nearly all mass media audio visual thought injections for the written words, both new and very old.
The change in perspective, of the relationship of self to society and the world at large has been, liberating.
Love it John. I can hear the positive outlook in your words. I find so much negativity and doom and gloom in some people that I can't hardly stand to be around them or read their work anymore. Are things bleak? Oh heck yes they are! But can we really do anything about most of those huge problems I mentioned in my post? Probably not. There will be some things that we will have to address when they come, but having a "can do" mindset will help us overcome the next shoes that may or may not drop. The only way to cultivate that "can do" attitude is by doing what we can now to build that confidence etc. (IMHO)
One thing I wish I would have never done is to buy books electronically. I have dozens and dozens. I should have just spent the extra dollar or two and got the paperback. Haha. Oh well, live and learn. (I don't buy books electronically anymore as I've found a used copy is usually only a couple of dollars!)
Excellent advice. Passivity is the root of most of our societal problems. Finding little ways to be more active, both physically and mentally, is the way forward. Once we make the mindset shift from *watching* to *doing*, new worlds open up.
Great column, Rob. We've started growing more of our own food and intend to expand our garden next year. We've got a small, but good, community of neighbours and friends that help each other out.
Thanks Anna. I'm always glad to see you here. :) My post seemed maybe a bit of a re-run of other posts in some ways, but I'm always hoping that that one person out there who is feeling frustrated and feeling like they don't have any power will read it and it will encourage them to stop focusing on what they can't do and instead take that energy and put it into something they *can* do and I believe that people like yourself who testify as to what they are doing helps encourage others as well. Thank you for your comment and kindness.
Okay, I agree to a point. I'm not sure if you're saying protest is futile, as in "standing in the street screaming." Hmmm. So... don't protest?
Be independent, that's good. And then when they surveil you from space, what then? When they zap you with 5G, what then? When they cut off your food supply and you can't grow food in the winter, and then they cut off your heat, your water... What then? Be independent... sounds great, I like being "independent." But ARE we ever really independent, if we're not living completely off grid, in a mountain cave or something? Eating wild and killing game?
What about the elderly? Can they grow their own food? The sick?
Just asking because you're not addressing any of that. I think if you expanded your idea a little, to something called "Community," it might work pretty well. What do we do when the Internet is shut down? When the banks are shut down? Uh huh. I think about THAT.
And I'm curious about the "blurb" you erased yesterday, to do with me... or my page? What was that about? Just wondering, bro!
This is a great column, already doing a lot of this.. we built a chicken coop over the summer, and put in a bigger garden. We are getting a half dozen fresh eggs a day.
That is awesome, Jerry! My husband and I just built our coop and our run. We will get some chicks in early 2023 and fingers crossed on fresh eggs not too long after that :).
I love hearing these things Jerry. We expanded our garden here as well. The confidence these kinds of things builds is amazing. The security we feel when we know that we have a bit of control in our lives is a boon to our psyche and our peace of mind. Thanks for sharing! :)
Love all the sentiments you expressed, Rob! I started making my own granola instead of buying it. It's a small thing, but my version is fresher, with few additives, and just tastes way better. It's now the highlight of my morning routine (aside from coffee, of course).
Thanks for sharing Pancake Princess. You know, to someone else, they might think that it's silly to think something so simple is providing liberty or changing anything in the world (You know that I don't think that of course!). But I imagine that you feel a sense of liberation knowing that you can make your own and that consuming it makes you feel good about yourself and boosts your confidence as well. You know the way I am... I never think that "the little things" don't matter. I absolutely believe that every single little thing we do that removes us from "the system" makes a difference. And, I can't end without repeating my mantra: It may not change "the" world, but it changes *our own* world, and that it what truly matters.
History abounds with examples of little things adding up.
Without a doubt! :)
https://www.foodstoragemoms.com/30-pioneer-skills/
This is a good site regarding becoming more self-reliant. She has lots of helpful tips.
Great advice!
Having done nearly everything on your list already (the garden is still in progress, getting the soil ready for a late winter early spring sowing of seeds), the only thing I'd add is reading in place of "watching". The difference between reading a book, or even articles and posts, and passively "watching" has been quite life changing. I've ditched the telescreen, and nearly all mass media audio visual thought injections for the written words, both new and very old.
The change in perspective, of the relationship of self to society and the world at large has been, liberating.
Love it John. I can hear the positive outlook in your words. I find so much negativity and doom and gloom in some people that I can't hardly stand to be around them or read their work anymore. Are things bleak? Oh heck yes they are! But can we really do anything about most of those huge problems I mentioned in my post? Probably not. There will be some things that we will have to address when they come, but having a "can do" mindset will help us overcome the next shoes that may or may not drop. The only way to cultivate that "can do" attitude is by doing what we can now to build that confidence etc. (IMHO)
One thing I wish I would have never done is to buy books electronically. I have dozens and dozens. I should have just spent the extra dollar or two and got the paperback. Haha. Oh well, live and learn. (I don't buy books electronically anymore as I've found a used copy is usually only a couple of dollars!)
Thank you for stopping by John. :)
Excellent advice. Passivity is the root of most of our societal problems. Finding little ways to be more active, both physically and mentally, is the way forward. Once we make the mindset shift from *watching* to *doing*, new worlds open up.
Great column, Rob. We've started growing more of our own food and intend to expand our garden next year. We've got a small, but good, community of neighbours and friends that help each other out.
Thanks Anna. I'm always glad to see you here. :) My post seemed maybe a bit of a re-run of other posts in some ways, but I'm always hoping that that one person out there who is feeling frustrated and feeling like they don't have any power will read it and it will encourage them to stop focusing on what they can't do and instead take that energy and put it into something they *can* do and I believe that people like yourself who testify as to what they are doing helps encourage others as well. Thank you for your comment and kindness.
Okay, I agree to a point. I'm not sure if you're saying protest is futile, as in "standing in the street screaming." Hmmm. So... don't protest?
Be independent, that's good. And then when they surveil you from space, what then? When they zap you with 5G, what then? When they cut off your food supply and you can't grow food in the winter, and then they cut off your heat, your water... What then? Be independent... sounds great, I like being "independent." But ARE we ever really independent, if we're not living completely off grid, in a mountain cave or something? Eating wild and killing game?
What about the elderly? Can they grow their own food? The sick?
Just asking because you're not addressing any of that. I think if you expanded your idea a little, to something called "Community," it might work pretty well. What do we do when the Internet is shut down? When the banks are shut down? Uh huh. I think about THAT.
And I'm curious about the "blurb" you erased yesterday, to do with me... or my page? What was that about? Just wondering, bro!