Friday, February 20, 2015
Friday, February 13, 2015
10 Things About Me You Might Not Know...
My friend, The Rat, over at http://mohaveratstwocentsworth.blogspot.com recently posted 10 Things about him (one of them being a lie, lol!) on his blog.
I figured I would do the same....so here are 10 Things About Me.....but I will not post any lies, I can't think of any good ones.
1) I have had seven children all by c-section. The first one was an emergency c-section and had to be done without anesthetic.
2) Ally Sheedy once bummed cigarettes off me at LAX during a horribly long layover.
3) I have been in jail. (All charges reduced to a misdemeanor)
4) I am an extraordinarily fast reader. I mean, super fast. It is like my super-power. Scary fast. For example,I read the unabridged version of The Stand in 2 and 1/2 hours. Freaks people out.
5) I have been homeless. Lived in a tent. Lived in a homeless shelter, too.
6) I have struggled all my life to control my temper. Still haven't gotten a handle on it.
7) I can't eat TVP (textured vegetable protein). Tears my stomach up dreadfully.
8) I was in many, many fights in school. Fist fights. Many with boys (even in high school), a few with teachers. (see #6)
9) I once punched through a windshield to rescue one of my kids. (I still carry the scars)
10) I used to dye my hair blonde. Started dyeing it when I was 12. Now I dye it my natural color to cover the gray!
I figured I would do the same....so here are 10 Things About Me.....but I will not post any lies, I can't think of any good ones.
1) I have had seven children all by c-section. The first one was an emergency c-section and had to be done without anesthetic.
2) Ally Sheedy once bummed cigarettes off me at LAX during a horribly long layover.
3) I have been in jail. (All charges reduced to a misdemeanor)
4) I am an extraordinarily fast reader. I mean, super fast. It is like my super-power. Scary fast. For example,I read the unabridged version of The Stand in 2 and 1/2 hours. Freaks people out.
5) I have been homeless. Lived in a tent. Lived in a homeless shelter, too.
6) I have struggled all my life to control my temper. Still haven't gotten a handle on it.
7) I can't eat TVP (textured vegetable protein). Tears my stomach up dreadfully.
8) I was in many, many fights in school. Fist fights. Many with boys (even in high school), a few with teachers. (see #6)
9) I once punched through a windshield to rescue one of my kids. (I still carry the scars)
10) I used to dye my hair blonde. Started dyeing it when I was 12. Now I dye it my natural color to cover the gray!
Thursday, February 12, 2015
Where To Go Before The Collapse Part 3
When you have found a general area where you want to settle, visit there first.
A small vacation, maybe a camping trip.
But don't keep to yourself!
Talk to locals. Talk, not interrogate! Find a popular local spot, I do NOT suggest a bar, a coffee shop would be a better choice! Mention to someone that you are planning on moving to the area. Once you have said that, they will give their opinion on the area, the people there, etc.
Get a copy of the local paper and check out the classifieds. What jobs are available in the area? Read the paper...see what local governments are doing. Are they encouraging growth? Are they actively trying to bring new businesses into the area? Walk around and check out what businesses seem to be thriving...and which ones aren't.
It would be nice if you could move to the country and not have to worry about money, but, alas, most of us have to work. Unless you have a home based business already established, you will have to get a job in the locality you move to.
Especially if you are moving to a very small town, finding a job can be difficult. No big box stores or franchise fast food joints. There are mainly local businesses, run by folks that were born and raised in the area. It can be hard to get your foot in the door.
When you move to your chosen area, expect to be without employment anywhere from 1 to 6 months.....until the local folks get to know you. Make friends with your neighbors, they can be the best way to get information about local job openings.
You may find yourself in a job you never expected to do! Go with it. Every job is an opportunity to learn something new.
If you do plan on having a home based business, check to make sure you won't be stepping on someone elses toes! If you plan on selling, say, baked goods out of your home to local farmers markets and such, check to see if anyone else is doing the same in the local area. Competition is good, too much competition hurts everyone!
*******************************
I was woefully unprepared when I moved here. I was extraordinarily lucky that the Darlin' Man was able to get a job as quickly as he did. Even so, we are struggling. For the first time in my life, I had to apply for fuel assistance. I was never able to find a pellet stove that fit in our budget and was in decent shape. Even with the fuel assistance, we will have to apply a great deal of his check towards heat for the rest of the winter.
A small vacation, maybe a camping trip.
But don't keep to yourself!
Talk to locals. Talk, not interrogate! Find a popular local spot, I do NOT suggest a bar, a coffee shop would be a better choice! Mention to someone that you are planning on moving to the area. Once you have said that, they will give their opinion on the area, the people there, etc.
Get a copy of the local paper and check out the classifieds. What jobs are available in the area? Read the paper...see what local governments are doing. Are they encouraging growth? Are they actively trying to bring new businesses into the area? Walk around and check out what businesses seem to be thriving...and which ones aren't.
It would be nice if you could move to the country and not have to worry about money, but, alas, most of us have to work. Unless you have a home based business already established, you will have to get a job in the locality you move to.
Especially if you are moving to a very small town, finding a job can be difficult. No big box stores or franchise fast food joints. There are mainly local businesses, run by folks that were born and raised in the area. It can be hard to get your foot in the door.
When you move to your chosen area, expect to be without employment anywhere from 1 to 6 months.....until the local folks get to know you. Make friends with your neighbors, they can be the best way to get information about local job openings.
You may find yourself in a job you never expected to do! Go with it. Every job is an opportunity to learn something new.
If you do plan on having a home based business, check to make sure you won't be stepping on someone elses toes! If you plan on selling, say, baked goods out of your home to local farmers markets and such, check to see if anyone else is doing the same in the local area. Competition is good, too much competition hurts everyone!
*******************************
I was woefully unprepared when I moved here. I was extraordinarily lucky that the Darlin' Man was able to get a job as quickly as he did. Even so, we are struggling. For the first time in my life, I had to apply for fuel assistance. I was never able to find a pellet stove that fit in our budget and was in decent shape. Even with the fuel assistance, we will have to apply a great deal of his check towards heat for the rest of the winter.
Saturday, February 7, 2015
Where To Go Before The Collapse Part 2
We can eliminate some places....
Water. Garden or livestock or just you and your family...you need water!
Next...population density:
Now think of what happened in Louisiana the day the food stamps didn't load correctly on EBT cards. True, they were loaded 24 hours later...but if they hadn't been...?
Investigate all of these thoroughly!
Go through maps, look up statistics on http://www.city-data.com/
If you can, visit the area you want to relocate to. Talk to the people there, look at the economy closely. I will cover some of that in a later post.
Where To Go Before The Collapse
I know, I know...Most of you have read a lot of *gloom and doom* blogs by *survivalists* and *preppers* saying "Prepare for the end of the world!". They give a lot of advice and seem to *know* when and why the entire world will collapse, etc. Utter twaddle.
No one KNOWS with any certainty when and where and how. Unless they are a damn good psychic!
But here's my take on it:
The rich get richer, the poor get poorer. Discontent foments revolution and rebellion. (We are currently seeing this in Greece!) And the *regular guy* who just wants to live his life gets caught in the middle.
Do I think there will be an economic collapse in the USA?
Yes. But not overnight. I think it will be rather gradual at first (we are in the first part now) and then it will speed up. Could take one year, could take ten years.
I know some folks out there have not found a place yet to *bug out* to. Most of us can not afford a *bug out retreat* anyway.
So, what to do?
Find a place to go and buy a residence there. As much acreage as you can afford.
But not a place to retreat to. A place to LIVE.
I know, some of you are *stuck* in apartments or in the 'burbs...but it ain't necessarily so!
Most of us have money/assets that we don't even know we have or that we don't even view as assets.
Old insurance policies, 401k accounts at jobs we left, etc. Go through your possessions...old jewelry, books, etc....you never know what you may have that you can liquidate into cash for a down payment on a place! I have known some folks that talked to parents/grandparents to see if they could get their inheritance NOW, effectively writing themselves out of the wills so they can purchase land/home now.
Look for jobs in the area you want to purchase. It is rare to be able to support yourself or your family without a job!
Look on ebay for land/homes. Look on zillow. Get a feel for the general pricing in the area you want to go. That way you'll be better able to spot the bargains!
All that is general ....next post...specifics!
No one KNOWS with any certainty when and where and how. Unless they are a damn good psychic!
But here's my take on it:
The rich get richer, the poor get poorer. Discontent foments revolution and rebellion. (We are currently seeing this in Greece!) And the *regular guy* who just wants to live his life gets caught in the middle.
Do I think there will be an economic collapse in the USA?
Yes. But not overnight. I think it will be rather gradual at first (we are in the first part now) and then it will speed up. Could take one year, could take ten years.
I know some folks out there have not found a place yet to *bug out* to. Most of us can not afford a *bug out retreat* anyway.
So, what to do?
Find a place to go and buy a residence there. As much acreage as you can afford.
But not a place to retreat to. A place to LIVE.
I know, some of you are *stuck* in apartments or in the 'burbs...but it ain't necessarily so!
Most of us have money/assets that we don't even know we have or that we don't even view as assets.
Old insurance policies, 401k accounts at jobs we left, etc. Go through your possessions...old jewelry, books, etc....you never know what you may have that you can liquidate into cash for a down payment on a place! I have known some folks that talked to parents/grandparents to see if they could get their inheritance NOW, effectively writing themselves out of the wills so they can purchase land/home now.
Look for jobs in the area you want to purchase. It is rare to be able to support yourself or your family without a job!
Look on ebay for land/homes. Look on zillow. Get a feel for the general pricing in the area you want to go. That way you'll be better able to spot the bargains!
All that is general ....next post...specifics!
Thursday, February 5, 2015
Bad News...It Just Keeps On Coming...
This one is hard to write.
I went down to feed the livestock a few mornings ago. All was well with the goats and adult alpacas.
Then I went into the private stalls to feed Anna and Beatrix.
Anna was frantic when I opened the stall door. I looked around, and there was Beatrix. Still and cold on the stall floor. Dead.
I was devastated.
From what I could tell, Anna rolled on Beatrix during the night and crushed her. Or suffocated her inadvertently.
I removed Beatrix from the barn and let Anna go in with the other alpacas. I thought maybe it would comfort her to be around the other alpacas. Poor thing was so upset.
********************
Again, another loss.
I don't know how much more I can handle .
I went down to feed the livestock a few mornings ago. All was well with the goats and adult alpacas.
Then I went into the private stalls to feed Anna and Beatrix.
Anna was frantic when I opened the stall door. I looked around, and there was Beatrix. Still and cold on the stall floor. Dead.
I was devastated.
From what I could tell, Anna rolled on Beatrix during the night and crushed her. Or suffocated her inadvertently.
I removed Beatrix from the barn and let Anna go in with the other alpacas. I thought maybe it would comfort her to be around the other alpacas. Poor thing was so upset.
********************
Again, another loss.
I don't know how much more I can handle .
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