Everything Comes from Somewhere

So where did this all start? That is an excellent question. Let me see ... well ...

D loves infomercials. LOVES them! She digs the kooky products and the “Buy Now” Bonuses, the bad testimonials and well, just the whole freak show that is an infomercial.

Well one Sunday morning, she stumbled on an infomercial for this guy named Kevin Trudeau . He was peddling his book Natural Cures: What They Don’t Want You to Know About .

Now, D and I have been raised on the idea of Conspiracy Theories; From the JFK/RFK/MLKJr assassinations to Big Business paying off members of Congress, the Whole Thing. So when some guy goes on the TV and says, “There is a Government Conspiracy to keep you sick, fat and placated” Dude Am I In!!! I wanna sit down and listen to that! Hells Yah!

D did some research on this Kevin Trudeau guy and his credentials seemed to check out so she bought the book.

OMG

The stuff this guy talks about is freakish. He talks about everything from modern conventional farming techniques to supermarket produce to processed foods to over the counter meds to the pharmaceutical companies to medical professionals to beauty and make-up products to the government agencies that oversee, pretend to oversee or wish that they could oversee these facets of modern Americana.

So, we started to buy organic produce and realized that it just tasted better; A little more expensive, but not outrageously so. Right now, we spend about $500 a month on groceries. This takes several things into consideration: 1) We are buying food in San Francisco which is expensive anyway, 2) We buy our groceries from a Co-Op that pays its employees a real livable wage, in SF, 3) This includes all of our herbs, tinctures, and other natural medicinal products – we dont buy OTC or Pharma stronger than Noni Berry or Olive Leaf. So you see, $500 a month is pretty freaking good!

So from a couple of broads to a couple of hippies in a couple of years. It really has been quite a journey. And something that I like to tell myself is that it is a journey, that anything you can do, no matter how small is an improvement. You don’t need to change the world today, just change a small thing today, then another small thing tomorrow, or next week, or next month.

Drama Nets!!

OMG! We Suck So Hard!!

OK, so last February we bought our laptop; A.K.A. Lappy. When we got it home and booted the bad-boy up, we were able to sit on the couch and connect to the internets via the WiFi of an obliging neighbor who had an unprotected network. We figured we were just SUPER lucky.

Then after a few weeks, we could only get internets from the edge of the couch. Then from the dining room, then the kitchen, then the front bedroom, the back bedroom, the sun room, back yard, then ... nothing. we could see the connection, but couldn't send or receive packets, which is kinda the whole point of connecting to the internets.

So we decided to actually pay for internets. Ick. So, we did some research and chose an option. To protect the identity of the guilty, the name of said ISP will not be disclosed here. 3 business days later we received the modem. We hooked it up and waited for our internets to happen. Denied! So we called Tech support like 15 times and spent a hundred million hours on the phone trying to get the connection. Tech support tried telling us that it was our phone line, then it was our Lappy, then it must be the modem. So they sent us another one. 10 business days later, we still hadnt received our new modem so I called "Customer Service".

"Oh. You wanted another modem? Oh gee, we didnt realize. I will send one out to you today"
"Gee. Thanks. :-|"

So another 5 business days later we finally received the new modem. We hooked it up and waited for our internets to happen. Denied! So we canceled the service and we had to start all over in trying to find internetability.

In order to make a long story short (Too Late!) We now have internets from our couch. When we started this blog, we were still getting internets in the front bedroom. We meant to keep it going. Promise. But we are back..

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BTW: Yes, I know it is actually called the "internet" but Dubyuh called it the "internets" and every time I say it, I fell like I'm jabbing him in they eye. Dont take this small joy from me.

Coming out of the closet

The first step in any new adventure is telling your loved ones. One of two things will happen. 1. They will be fully supportive if maybe a little questioning, 2. They will be totally unsupportive and outright negative. Being a little e squeamish I'm always in fear of abject rejection, though I rarely experience it. Irrational fears pervade; lame I know.

Surprisingly everyone we've talked to has been 100% supportive and most have expressed a desire to do the same, if not quite so extreme.

Is it possible that we've hit upon the next great paradigm shift, back to a simpler more-in-tune way of existing? Hope so.

My sister wondered what we'll do for fun in the wilderness, as if we are planning on living like French fur traders from two centuries ago. I can't blame her she lives in and loves city life. As do I but I'm ready to make the city a once in a while place, not an all the time place. I want to be able to say, "It's a great place to visit, but I'd hate to live there"

The plan in general.

In six months

• Fix up & rent the house in California
• Buy land and move to Colorado.

First projects in CO

• Shelter: possible trailer,a yurt or teepee, something warm and semi permanent; we could be there for a time.
• Food: Set up a green house, plant for fall harvest. Surplus we'll sell at farmers market.
• Permanent shelter: start to build house. Depending on funds, the permanent house could take a few years.

That's the basics; we'll fill the rest as it comes.

My biggest fear is dealing with seasons in CO. Being from Cali, I've never had to really consider them too much, but in CO they will cut into the time we have for various projects. Winter, what’s that like?

Next biggest fear is money of course. That will also depend on what and when we get to accomplish things. But I can work anywhere, I've proved that, and if all goes well, we'll grow most of our food.

Cross your fingers.

In The Beginning

We are hardcore city girls. We love our sedentary lifestyle. Give us a coffee shop and a Target and we are the happiest girls ever. We like the country in theory, but neither or us have ever lived in the country or even visited for more that a weekend. That is about to change.

About 3 weeks ago we decided that we are going to move out to the middle of Nowhere, America. The plan is that we are going to become fully self sufficient and live completely off the grid.

This would be somewhat easier if 1) We made more than a $3 a day salary surfing desks for our not-for-profit employer, 2) We had ANY savings at all, 3) We didn’t have $15,000 in credit card debt and 4) We didn’t just purchase a $330,000 home in November. Yah, it would be A Lot easier. So, I figure, if we can do it ANYONE can do it.

This is the story of how we do it.