What technology has replaced

My computer and cell have replaced my phone book, several novels and tour guides/maps. Its nice to be able to have much less dust collecting items to keep track of, that are easily ruined and are hard to find and replace. I can back up anything digital and can carry a lot of "paper" on a hard drive. However, there will always be books and and maps that are kept for sentimental reasons which aren't many as some I have scanned and kept digitally.
I was considering doing pictures of my worldly posessions and sharing here as well. The goals of actual stuff are now more aligned with true travel. Given the cost of gas, I really want to travel by bike and foot more. So I have been down sizing more of my sentimental items and going digital on other things like CDs to mp3 conversions. I would also like to explore outside the US as well as work on my diet and better fitness level.

However, being minimalist, no matter how much you get rid of, stuff will find its way back and will need sorted, especially trash and the mail never seem to end although there is less trash, but junk mail is still there as well as offers from so and so. I just keep removing storage containers for stuff and force myself to go through the too large for the space provided pile until it fits. I am hoping to get down to 2 totes and 2 backpacks.

The totes or giant shoe boxes as some call them (one 16 gal and one 32 gal) will have kitchen, office and craft supplies while the backpack will contain camping and technology and the duffel bag will have the cats stuff and clothes in it. There will be a container of litter and food for the cats and an additional tote for the food. I figure the totes are for van dwelling while the backpack and duffel are for adventures from home (overseas and bike/foot excursions).

This is the plan for the future although this working all the time business is getting tiring and so keeping up with current projects is a pain let alone more to come but there always is.

Technology

My computer is older, my phone is from wal mart and I don't check facebook every day. I still use email from yahoo and gmail and upload photos on my webs account. Now I could upgrade to a new phone but why: I pay 30 a month and still have minutes and data usage left over. My computer still has enough memory to play Empire Earth and Joan of Arc, check my email, edit my photos in photoshop and create interesting flash graphics when the mood hits me. I can still use my flash drive and small portable back up hard drive for more space if I like.

I have come to realize that technology isn't making it easier for humans to stay in touch and develop society (it does in some cases) but moreso is taking away our ability to interact with other human beings, creating a sort of hermitage and a dependence on a power source. People seem to be ruder and more impatient. Now sure I have never been patient and I do get to the point, but when I go to the grocery store, I still stand in line for a cashier because I like the interaction of hello and having a human to talk to if something isn't right. I like to ask people how their day was and will likely here a full story beyond the common formalities. Guess what: I might learn something new and you may too. How about the people in line with you? I will not support a machine ringing out my groceries and if thats the only option I have then I will leave a store.

And the day I get a cell phone or computer that I answer to all the time is the day I am divorcing it all together. My cell phone allows me to check my email and read emails from groups and friends I deem interesting, it is my yellowbook and my reminder as well as alarm clock. Yep the folks from wal mart have provided all I need for cellular service. Many of my aquaintances are pressuring me to invest in a iphone. They walk around attached to their cell phones like zombies bidding a masters commands. I actually feel like I am on an electronic leash with my phone as is. So sometimes I do turn it off, especially at night, and if someone calls, they can wait. Email is the same way, there is nothing so pressing I will stop what I am doing to check it and blogging is because I feel like it. Are you married to your phone, is it on even during work because you might miss a facebook update, do you check a text at 2 am and answer your cell even during dinner out with friends? I have gone out with friends lately and their phone has become the third wheel.

As for the computer, its great for research, note taking, internet access and occasional chatting, banking and blogging, but at no point should it be more important than human interaction. I have relatives that used to go out all the time with me and now don't want to leave over facebook games. Life is still pressing onward and your crops aren't paying you. There is a fine line between enjoyment and obsession.

So with that I feel like I spend to much time with the TV, the computer, my cell and on the internet but it isn't my ENTIRE life, so I encourage everyone to reflect on how technology is helping you and not taking up valueable time that could be spent elsewhere.

Life lessons so far: education, work and experiences

So I am now 26 and it didn't really hit me until this week as I work like a mad woman. Lets just say this week has been chalk full of experiences I can't share here but have changed my perspective on things quite a bit. The urge to up and go is stronger than ever. I am going to work one year, cut back on everything, pay off my remaining debt and move on. I borrowed some money to buy the van as my last one was quite costly in repairs. I paid that off today and in record time which tells me everything else can be paid off quickly.

I have learned that humans can be completely unpredictable. People you think you know you really don't. I have learned that watching these changes can be enlightening to what is human nature, what we need and want and how we express ourselves. I have learned that I miss being mobile because I enjoy meeting people, enjoying company and moving on. I believe everyone comes into our lives for a period and then its time to explore again. And furthermore, I have learned to appreciate the people in my life, to trust those whom I must and to rely on instinct for everything else. I love what I do but I have pretty much explored all I can without going agency which is indeed an option but budget cuts, getting with the right crew and finding a job that pays enough to be worth the work is challenging. Its taken me over 3 years to do just that.

I recently considered going into management and thats an experience I want but I don't want the obligation. I don't want to be tied to being "over qualified" when I simply want to work on the floor and not behind a desk with paperwork writing people up for events I wasn't present for and answering for peoples actions I have no clue about. Clearly, I would love to work for myself. I did so in pet sitting and that was great and its an option, one of many but I would like to do something that I can do from an apartment in Chicago to an RV in Canada. I want something that is going to make me happy, that continues the people I work with now but different. I have spent my time in my apartment reflecting and as winter approaches, the cost of gas goes up and Saturnalia approaches (December 17-23) that there is no more excuses and its time. Its written in stone, no more excuses, no more naysayers or obligations, its going to happen Oct 16, 2012 is my departure date.

I want to be a nomad without a destination, I don't want to be rushed and I want to know people long enough to watch and learn. I want to live life, see the world and take 2 crazy felines with me. I want to explore living carless and on bicycle in Chicago with the train, see Yellowstone and go back to AK. I looked at pics tonight of there and need a trip back for a moment, everything was so rushed when I left its time for a return. I hate having a time clock, having phone calls at 4 am and not being able to explore life the way I want.

I also learned that school is something I need right now and I am thinking on two options, becoming a graphic designer or a paralegal advocating for those with disabilities and farmers.I am a creative person and I don't feel challenged the way I would like. I love to read, don't have time for it, love history, no time, and that's where I am at. I would truly love to be a paralegal specifically for my ability to go to where I am needed and I can learn and teach online.

So for now I work, accomplish the impossible and move on. Once all bills are paid off in 6 months, I will never get stuck in the debt web again, then save for 6 months for a van and trailer and get ready to head west for some time off and do online schooling, then maybe teach school online, or substitute in the areas I am visiting as well as consulting work. My other interest in men getting custody of children. I would like to see more women pay child support, just because a women carries a child doesn't make her the better parent and its no easier for a man to raise a child financially than the women.

So the plan, work, pay off debt, save, go to school and LIVE. This is dedicated to yet another person I know who passed of cancer at a young age. We need to live now as there is only one life and what we do now will shape an eternity for those that come after (even if we don't see it) as well as ourselves.

So with that I toast a glass of wine to those who have lived deeply, fought bravely, been truthful and followed their dreams, leaving precedent and legacy for all of us here now to follow. The holidays have been a hard time for me and mine and this year I am going to focus on what we have vs what we don't for we can't change the entire world, just shape one strand of the fates in this moment.

Quick Update

I haven't had a chance to post in a few days. I am working like a crazy person. The hours are too be had, the money is there and the job is good. I will take it while its there and run with it. The new kitten is doing well, she is getting fixed in a few short weeks and Ajah is getting along with her new pale. It took them about a week to learn to live together and furthermore, like each other. I really enjoyed coming home to two cats purring on either side of me and both accepting the fact I can pay attention to both. It works well. Thank you to my neighbor that has been stopping in to play with them and feed them while I work this insane schedule. Hence I won't be online for some time in between.

The van is holding up good so far (knock on wood lol), and so I can actually save up some money instead of constantly putting a few hundred in repairs. And hopefully in a year I will have my savings for 6 months, my van and trailer and ready to hit the road and try some workamping. Its much easier to work my life away when there is a goal. I have found some very interesting workamping opportunties that would let me keep the cats with me as well as have time to explore the surrounding areas and maybe hold a part time job in the area for the summer and fall and maybe into the Christmas rush, then head west on BLM land for the hard part of winter through spring to start the cycle over. I would also love to spend a summer traveling Canada through the Yukon, spend some time in Seattle and then enjoy the historical aspects of the East Coast. I have done the trip part of the above but all were so rushed, I need more time to really absorb and immerse in those areas, more like months, not days and weeks.

I would also like to take an extended trip to Russia and really experience Russia for all it has to offer. Add Rome and the old Roman empire to that list, maybe take a caravan throughout some of Europe from Rome, Italy to Britannia and the Isles via the old Roman roads to experience the trip. I feel a spiritual connection to old Rome (pre Christian era) and would like to visit some of the temples, the villas and eat the food and learn Latin. I am not into back packing post college style nor do I want to do a quick tour with tour guides, I want to experience the culture. These would be nice winter in the US trips during the non holiday times.

So I go by the term geo nomad or sporadic nomad because I settle into an area for a bit and then move onto something else. The fast paced travel without reason with a bucket list just is an extended vacation meaning spending money on un needed items, hanging in tourist areas, and going back to "something" at the end. My idea is the fun doesn't end, it just keeps going until I decide when and how I want something different. Plus my home or stuff goes with me so I am not tied to a schedule and home is with me.

So I am back at my 280 sq ft apartment this evening. With the kitten, I had to go about getting out my kitten stuff which was stored in a corner from Ajahs kitten hood (think 4 years and 3 stix and brix moves) and moving all my stuff around so I am feeling a bit cluttered for the moment. Its like my system needs completely revamped. Of course,  the van is good as my layout isn't really different with the new addition so this post will focus on the apartment.

However, I have had my basic system is every place I stay or move, I simply pack my like items the same each time and unpack in each new place in the same order. I learned that skill in the military. There is the pet, clothes/shoes, kitchen, bedding, toiletries and towels, music, tech/entertainment, and office/decoration categories. For some reason I don't tend to part with the pet stuff so I can rotate it out of my closet area so it feels new to them. (scratchers, hide a holes, boxes, toys ect) but since this move everything is pretty much as unpacked or stored. Having to pull stuff out has led to complete space chaos thus leading me to another evaluation of what comes in must send something out and looking at a new system, maybe one a little more diversified.

Living in small spaces is doable and fun if you are organized, clean up as you go and keep new items in check. 280 sq ft compared to a mini van is like a palace but I also don't go out as much as I used too. I have been working quite a bit and unlike the van where everything is right with in reach and really only often used items, the apartment affords me the option of being prepared, holding more food and working on crafts this winter. Having a shower a few feet away is also a plus.

So lets discuss organization and soon I will post pics of my living space. My space is rented from a house so I use the house bathroom but other than that, its 2 rooms on the office floor that is my kitchen, office, living room and bedroom.

My bed is on the floor and is a tri fold meaning it can double as a couch. I also have 2 bean bags and fold up chairs/tables (2) thus allowing for some company and entertaining. I use the bean bag as a seat to my office area that is an end table with a computer on it and electronics on the shelf below. The TV is next to the bed with the DVD player and the DVDs are in one binder I created while coming back from AK so I could have it on the road.

I gave up on dressers long ago as they weigh a ton, are a pain to clean and move and my rubbermaid totes do the same job, can be stored along the floor and 3 of them open up giving me an organized warddrobe or underclothes, tops and bottoms and seasonal storage clothing. Bedding storage is kept in a backpack style laundry sack.

All my books fit in 2 unused litter boxes and papers in a filing folder. The portable "office" supplies fit into a small plastic carry case.

The cat stuff fits in a carry bag, portable cat tree, and carrier plus my midwest playpen and portable shelter (made for dogs).

My point is even with that much only, the mail and misc is getting too large and its comfortable living this way. However, with working lately, I am getting a bit messy and in such a small space its just there.

Eventful

I worked a 16 hour double this weekend to try and get financially ahead. I am also about to go on a working spree again before winter hits hard but that will start for next pay period. This is enough for now... but then its time to start working on buying a small trailer to expand space. I am a minimalist but there is a certain level of comfort that is expected.

I would like a 10 ft egg either fiberglass or aluminum with a shower, porta potty, jackknife bed, and dinette/ kitchenette. The dinette will be coverted to a home office, sofa for sleeping or entertaining friends, and the bathroom for obvious needs. I don't want to be tied nor have to drive to use my facilities. Then the van will be for sleeping, porta potty, and camp gear/ storage, bike hauler, more likely an off road/daily driver vehicle as I think finding a spot for a camper seems relatively easy for very little money and when  in conventional housing, the trailer can be in storage or used as a get a way spot.

The reason for this change... I haven't particularly been looking for a new cat/kitten but I missed having 2. Unfortunately my older girl Ajah wasn't handling her companion well and her companion wasn't handling traveling too well. So I made that difficult decision to place her with a great friend and she is doing well now in her stable house dwelling life. But Ajah is lonely and over affectionate, and there has been a gap for the both of us....

In the meantime, mid Sep there was a semi feral cat on the grounds at work that had kittens in the dumpster, which were then scared off by the grounds keepers and she took them to the near by woods, staff fed them and now have been working to trap mom (get her fixed and find her a farm home) and the kittens (to be socialized and placed).

My co worker knowing I am mobile, have only 1 cat  and a love of torties caught the tortie kitten and brought it to me after spending the past 2 weeks gaining her trust. She stayed the night in one of the offices and I brought her home this morning. She handled the van ride really well, loves to sit on my shoulder, is purring already, and seems to be in good health. She is eating and drinking. I stimulated her in the litter box and that produced good results. Stools look normal. I am guessing she is around 5 weeks which is far younger than I prefer but she was bound to be harder to socialize and could get hit by a car in her current situation plus winter is coming.

Ajah is still hesitant but thats to be expected and will change over time.

I have named my new girl Julia. She is named after the Julian family name in Rome as their family historically was brilliant, stead fast and bound for success that was created by strong teaching and nurturing surroundings. Julia was born in a dumpster, went to the woods, and now to me. She has already figured out the indoors is good, likes humans, and needs to eat to survive.

Furthermore, as I have done a great deal of traveling through out most of my adult life, I have created a system for adaptation which will work for most but not all. This is the youngest kitten I have gotten. She did well in the van, is using the kitty playpen I set up for her litter box and feeding times. (no door closed) I also opened the carriers and put her bed in there and she going there for a safe place. I will take her on rides in the van for short trips and once she is old enough for shots and is fixed, she will learn about the leash. She is already visiting family and has met the dogs (who don't live with me) to experience people and new sites and smells. The next 6 weeks are critical.

Her comfort on the road, in new surroundings, with strangers, with Ajah and her schedule are incredibly important for her comfort and mine. Tomorrow I am going to clip her nails and in a few weeks she will get her flea treatment. I figure now is the best time since I do have an apartment, she and Ajah can have room to get to know each other, get used to life and gradually move into things. I will also begin showing her in TICA in the HHP category in December.

So until December 2011 I will work a lot and save hopefully and then get my trailer, hitch up and begin camp hosting and working agency in my career field. I haven't had a stick to it plan but now  I am putting those plans in place. One of my co workers is doing the same but going car less for life in a big city and he really inspired me to once again reach for my goals. I hardly see half my family now and with Skype and other technology, I can keep in touch.

Then when I settle down, I will build a cabin in the foot hills of the mountains in AZ, use the trailer and van for get a ways and sit on my rustic porch in my small cabin staring at the endless land scape sipping coffee with a good book in my old age.

Another Day

I am tuckered out at this point after a unleashing of powerful creative energy.I even got dressed up, applied for a few positions and then got a meal at BK, then sat in the parking lot of a nearby store munching and writing. I simply unleashed a few thoughts that are starting to form onto paper. More to come on that. I had plans to do some other things with a check I got and have been waiting on for over a month, but after the drive to do applications, no energy was left. But I did layout the van finally and the next vehicle I get will hopefully be a 4x4, a wee bit bigger and taller. So for now this will work for camping. I keep material posessions to what can fit in my humble abode and go from there.

I have been in the apartment now for almost a month and still find myself sleeping in the van, housing starts to feel very suffocating to say the least. Plus I notice all the space in the apartment is calling my name to add to it and clutter is like debt. Its easy to get into and ever so hard to dig out of. And not to mention transferring things from point a to b is a pain. I need a Mr Buddy heater and some propane at the top of my list. Plus working two jobs, its too big of a pain to drive to terrible far but the weather is too cold to be without heat so here we are.

In addition, I people watched today. These are not judgements or anything else, just my observations:
I saw 2 people that appeared homeless. Both were on bike with stuff stashed around their bikes. One was well groomed. One was not. I didnt speak to either of them, just watched. The one guy had a long beard and reminded me of a Hippy. He was carrying aluminum cans that he traded for groceries. He was smiling as well.

I also noticed  in this town of upper class folks with shiny cars, several old pickup trucks that threatened to not start full of cans that were being used to get groceries. Men in designer suits with rusty beaters at the store, I never fathomed to see this. It used to be those pu trucks never left driveways and were used to plow snow or what not as many people in this place have long narrow drive ways. Maybe common sense prevailed and those pu trucks are the 2nd driving vehicle for home town errands and people are recycling to make ends meet. Interesting how we all get eco conscience when the economy goes south.

With 2 pairs of pants on the mend right now and no motivation to mend them, I am considering a trip to the local thrift shop to replace the pants. They aren't expensive or one of a kind, I just hate to get rid of something that with a little TLC could be back to operational.

What do you all keep and mend that could be replaced? As a van dweller or nomad, there are some items that take on a life of their own and giving them up isn't going to happen. There are three options: learn to live with it, learn to fix it or learn to leave it and be happy for the time spent together.