Today I feel sadness and longing for the trail. I miss it.
These feelings were triggered when I heard a bird outside that reminded me of the bird sounds on the trail. I walked outside in the cold air and remembered the cold morning air of the trail. I hiked this weekend and felt out of place in such a dry, brown landscape. I tried to remind myself that this landscape is my home, but my heart was remembering the moist forest of the trail.
I still have not found a job. I had an interview with a small company. It seemed like it might be a nice place to work. Today as I walked to the La Huerta garden to do my volunteer work, and then walked home with a huge bag of fresh bananas and tomatoes, I kept thinking to myself that these could be the last days of my freedom. I don't want to return to the cubicle.
Perhaps I should just get a retail job. Serve some coffee. Stay free just a little while longer. I can listen to the whales again. Slide by on low wage, low stress labor. Take community college courses. Will The Man in the house understand?
Wednesday, October 07, 2009
Monday, October 05, 2009
Being frugal
So far I'm without a job. Like last year between my hikes, I have to be frugal. I have perused many frugal-oriented and simple living web sites but the advice they have is mostly about shopping.
What I mean is, there are tons of tips out there on how to acquire things cheaply. But there are few tips on how to make a little extra money. You can find such tips out there, but they tend not to be on frugal or simple living web sites.
To me, part of living simply and frugally is not acquiring things. I appreciate the tips on how to get things cheaply, but if I don't need anything, there is not much I can do with the information to improve my situation. What is really needed by me are ways to bring in a little extra money.
I have found a few ideas that I might be able to do. I could help someone move or let them load my truck full of junk to take to the dump. I could do what I already do now and help people with their web sites. I could run errands for people. I've tried replying to ads to test products and serve on mock jury panels but have not gotten any response. If I was a better musician, I could play my pennywhistle on the street. Maybe I could do that without being any good. The bongo guy still plays after all these decades with no improvement in his rhythm whatsoever. Somehow he manages.
I wish the chickens that live next door but hang out in our yard would lay some eggs in our yard. Acquiring free food is nearly the same as money since I need new food all the time. What I need is a banana tree and a small vegetable garden impervious to gophers. And I also need about $700 a month to squeak by. If only that could grow in a garden, too.
What I mean is, there are tons of tips out there on how to acquire things cheaply. But there are few tips on how to make a little extra money. You can find such tips out there, but they tend not to be on frugal or simple living web sites.
To me, part of living simply and frugally is not acquiring things. I appreciate the tips on how to get things cheaply, but if I don't need anything, there is not much I can do with the information to improve my situation. What is really needed by me are ways to bring in a little extra money.
I have found a few ideas that I might be able to do. I could help someone move or let them load my truck full of junk to take to the dump. I could do what I already do now and help people with their web sites. I could run errands for people. I've tried replying to ads to test products and serve on mock jury panels but have not gotten any response. If I was a better musician, I could play my pennywhistle on the street. Maybe I could do that without being any good. The bongo guy still plays after all these decades with no improvement in his rhythm whatsoever. Somehow he manages.
I wish the chickens that live next door but hang out in our yard would lay some eggs in our yard. Acquiring free food is nearly the same as money since I need new food all the time. What I need is a banana tree and a small vegetable garden impervious to gophers. And I also need about $700 a month to squeak by. If only that could grow in a garden, too.
Saturday, October 03, 2009
Trail running in my future?
I've admired people who can run on trails. My local trails are very steep and so the people who can run on them have to be very fit. I wish I could be like them so I've decided to try running.
I have started by running a few miles around town. You would think that someone who can hike 25 miles in a day would be in really great shape, but I am not. Running isn't the same and I get tired much quicker.
I had the pleasant experience recently of feeling like it is getting easier to run. That encourages me to continue. I may be ready to add some more miles or possibly some hills. I find even running through the underpass to be difficult, so hills are definitely something I need to work on.
I have started by running a few miles around town. You would think that someone who can hike 25 miles in a day would be in really great shape, but I am not. Running isn't the same and I get tired much quicker.
I had the pleasant experience recently of feeling like it is getting easier to run. That encourages me to continue. I may be ready to add some more miles or possibly some hills. I find even running through the underpass to be difficult, so hills are definitely something I need to work on.
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