I think I am mostly impatient. There are some things in life, I just want instant gratification. I don't want to have to wait around, and do this first, then do that, I just want life to be the way I want it to be. And then, resulting in my own angst.
I live in this world, where I buy food from the store- it usually comes in some kind of holder - plastic bag, cardboard, plastic wrapping. I do my best to stick with fruits, veggies, nuts and seeds, but unfortunately I do cave and buy into this consumerish world. I've gotten better over the years. The entire store used to be mine to choose from, but with every passing new piece of information, my choice of product has designated me to two sections in the grocery store. Produce and Natural food section (s). Which I love. After going vegan and palm oil free I've gotten to be a pro at reading labels. I really keep whatever I buy outside of the produce section to a minimum - if I get anything at all! I usually end up back there, when it's been a longer day at work, or I just got paid and I feel like treating myself to some almond butter, vegan waffles, bread maybe some granola bars.. maybe a jar of pickles. Sometimes I like to buy canned tomatoes or canned beans - normally I like to cook with beans which I soak and cook myself or fresh tomatoes, but sometimes it's nice to have quicker items on hand.
Other than that, all my shopping is done in the fresh! Which is awesome, and I really enjoy, but it could be better.
Because even that little batch of celery and and a bundle of carrots - come in bags. I guess as a consumer I could write the manufacturer and demand alternatives.
Better yet, I need to be in a place where I can grow my own food year round. Or some kind of barter system with neighbors. When I was living in Ithaca NY, the community aspect was absolutely amazing. They all helped each other, they all traded home-made items or home-grown stuff throughout the year and they even have something called the Ithaca dollar. It's just an amazing place. It's somewhere that I wouldn't mind settling for sure!
Food is just one aspect. I live on a farm, 30 minutes away from town. I know 30 minutes is relatively small compared to what others do, I've commuted over an hour to work in the past. I knew people who commuted 2 hours! And, hey at my last job I commuted 5! But I did have housing at my last job. Anyway 30 minutes adds up.. and for someone who isn't too keen on the whole .. buying oil thing. Yeah, it would be great to know more about how I could convert my car into a solar vehicle. Any green engineers out there?
I should get one of those flinstone cars :)
And then of course the whole culture thing. We drive in isolation, often we may work in isolation, we come home and our source of interaction is through a screen. Social situations often have multiple people gathered around a screen. Seriously? And yes, that's me! I am totally in front of a screen right now, after a day of work.
And of course I'm interested in going to grad school. I was lucky enough to get a job at the university working in the soils lab. The department that I am working in, is all about sustainability, agroecology, essentially.
I guess it's kind of like, how my ideal world is just living in complete unison with my surroundings and since our world works opposite of that right now. It's about somehow blending my ideas about how the world should be, and how the world actually is. It's about finding a way that I fit into this tangled assortedness.
It's just interesting because working in the lab, of course when testing the soils for nitrates and ammonium, etc etc. There are many other chemicals that need to be used. There are very special ways to dispose of all of the chemicals and we do end up having to throw away many plastic gloves, paper towels and glass pipettes, among other things. Of course many of this stuff can't really be recycled, because it comes from a lab. I totally understand that. But it definitely makes me think.
It reminds me of that quote, which I am terrible at remember things verbatim, but it goes something like...
you can't get yourself out of a mess with the same thinking that got you into it.
or
sometimes its not about fixing the old, but creating the new.
I wish I knew where I could find the original quotes... :) such is the mind!
Basically, it may be worth the slow process of scientific experiments of finding out the best way to plant things and the exact minimum needed and specific results of xyz to show the world how important xyz are!
Or of being on this amazing project where something absolutely miraculous happens and the whole scientific community is blown away by the beautiful results!
As of now I have no idea what that would be. I just want to learn and grow with the world on how we can make this a better, healthier more beautiful place. A place where we can proudly announce that we are from planet earth and we care about her wellbeing as well as every fellow member as well!
But maybe the real reason I am interested i going back to school is to understand this world more fully in terms of 'science' and so I can know that language. I would love to see the segregation between science, farmers, permaculturists and community end! Can't we all learn to work together and do things in a more efficient beautiful, harmonious way?
There is also this pull in me.. this yearning.. it could also be from my head, maybe my heart, maybe my body or my values.. to travel. To learn about all the sustainable, open-minded, health conscious communities in the world! To learn from them to experience their core values and methods of operating and working. I don't necessarily feel close to doing it anytime soon. But it's a thought that comes to my mind multiple times a week. I know I need to be patient. I can't have my cake and eat it too!
There must be a lot of value in going back to school anyway.. and if I am able to do it, maybe I will have a lot to share with communities along the way. It's hard to know.
Anyway. One day at a time.
I live in this world, where I buy food from the store- it usually comes in some kind of holder - plastic bag, cardboard, plastic wrapping. I do my best to stick with fruits, veggies, nuts and seeds, but unfortunately I do cave and buy into this consumerish world. I've gotten better over the years. The entire store used to be mine to choose from, but with every passing new piece of information, my choice of product has designated me to two sections in the grocery store. Produce and Natural food section (s). Which I love. After going vegan and palm oil free I've gotten to be a pro at reading labels. I really keep whatever I buy outside of the produce section to a minimum - if I get anything at all! I usually end up back there, when it's been a longer day at work, or I just got paid and I feel like treating myself to some almond butter, vegan waffles, bread maybe some granola bars.. maybe a jar of pickles. Sometimes I like to buy canned tomatoes or canned beans - normally I like to cook with beans which I soak and cook myself or fresh tomatoes, but sometimes it's nice to have quicker items on hand.
Other than that, all my shopping is done in the fresh! Which is awesome, and I really enjoy, but it could be better.
Because even that little batch of celery and and a bundle of carrots - come in bags. I guess as a consumer I could write the manufacturer and demand alternatives.
Better yet, I need to be in a place where I can grow my own food year round. Or some kind of barter system with neighbors. When I was living in Ithaca NY, the community aspect was absolutely amazing. They all helped each other, they all traded home-made items or home-grown stuff throughout the year and they even have something called the Ithaca dollar. It's just an amazing place. It's somewhere that I wouldn't mind settling for sure!
Food is just one aspect. I live on a farm, 30 minutes away from town. I know 30 minutes is relatively small compared to what others do, I've commuted over an hour to work in the past. I knew people who commuted 2 hours! And, hey at my last job I commuted 5! But I did have housing at my last job. Anyway 30 minutes adds up.. and for someone who isn't too keen on the whole .. buying oil thing. Yeah, it would be great to know more about how I could convert my car into a solar vehicle. Any green engineers out there?
I should get one of those flinstone cars :)
And then of course the whole culture thing. We drive in isolation, often we may work in isolation, we come home and our source of interaction is through a screen. Social situations often have multiple people gathered around a screen. Seriously? And yes, that's me! I am totally in front of a screen right now, after a day of work.
And of course I'm interested in going to grad school. I was lucky enough to get a job at the university working in the soils lab. The department that I am working in, is all about sustainability, agroecology, essentially.
I guess it's kind of like, how my ideal world is just living in complete unison with my surroundings and since our world works opposite of that right now. It's about somehow blending my ideas about how the world should be, and how the world actually is. It's about finding a way that I fit into this tangled assortedness.
It's just interesting because working in the lab, of course when testing the soils for nitrates and ammonium, etc etc. There are many other chemicals that need to be used. There are very special ways to dispose of all of the chemicals and we do end up having to throw away many plastic gloves, paper towels and glass pipettes, among other things. Of course many of this stuff can't really be recycled, because it comes from a lab. I totally understand that. But it definitely makes me think.
It reminds me of that quote, which I am terrible at remember things verbatim, but it goes something like...
you can't get yourself out of a mess with the same thinking that got you into it.
or
sometimes its not about fixing the old, but creating the new.
I wish I knew where I could find the original quotes... :) such is the mind!
Basically, it may be worth the slow process of scientific experiments of finding out the best way to plant things and the exact minimum needed and specific results of xyz to show the world how important xyz are!
Or of being on this amazing project where something absolutely miraculous happens and the whole scientific community is blown away by the beautiful results!
As of now I have no idea what that would be. I just want to learn and grow with the world on how we can make this a better, healthier more beautiful place. A place where we can proudly announce that we are from planet earth and we care about her wellbeing as well as every fellow member as well!
But maybe the real reason I am interested i going back to school is to understand this world more fully in terms of 'science' and so I can know that language. I would love to see the segregation between science, farmers, permaculturists and community end! Can't we all learn to work together and do things in a more efficient beautiful, harmonious way?
There is also this pull in me.. this yearning.. it could also be from my head, maybe my heart, maybe my body or my values.. to travel. To learn about all the sustainable, open-minded, health conscious communities in the world! To learn from them to experience their core values and methods of operating and working. I don't necessarily feel close to doing it anytime soon. But it's a thought that comes to my mind multiple times a week. I know I need to be patient. I can't have my cake and eat it too!
There must be a lot of value in going back to school anyway.. and if I am able to do it, maybe I will have a lot to share with communities along the way. It's hard to know.
Anyway. One day at a time.
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