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Living the Dream
Oct. 20th, 2016 09:15 pmRainy day today.
Rainy days make me sleepy and thoughtful, not as Sad as I used to be. I was oddly peaceful this morning too, which was nice. Part of it is the new defenses I installed at work and part of it is residual from the Family Gathering Columbus Day weekend. I was reminded that weekend that if I really want something, I can make it happen.
*watches Miss Mia scurry around the downstairs.*
That hamster loves her sparkly green ball.
Anyway, I was thinking about what I really wanted to be doing. It didn't involve spreadsheets and patient outreach. It involved my laptop and about five acres of land. I really want to establish a homestead, somewhere in Tioga or Tompkins counties, with an Earthship to live in and raising Cayuga ducks, heritage chickens and heritage goats. I like my toys too much to go all the way back to homespun tech. But a mostly self sustained homestead, with the only expenses being taxes, car fuel, the Internet and those foodstuffs and things I can't make or grow myself.
It's a fun challenge to plan and plot and save for. Financing is the key, and I'm not keen on loans, but I know they are often a necessary evil. With an aggressive savings plan I can get the land and the 'ship built, from there it's time and labor. The kicker is making money. Four years at the car place taught me I do not have the cutthroat capitalist mentality to charge 300-400% mark ups on my products. I was offended every time I had to do it. Deeply offended. Didn't help the stress of working in that place either.
Banks need five year plans and profit margins and estimates before they hand out startup money. Ditto with venture capitalists and other forms of investment. Even CSAs, a business model I completely approve of, need to have products to reward their investors. Sustainable, organic farming is the hot new trend and New York State is encouraging the locavore mentality. The number of wineries in the Finger Lakes area has exploded in the last 20 years. The Freeville Earthship couple is still teaching but they're also selling eggs and chickens and some produce. I would have to do the same to pay the taxes and fuel purchases and the Internet. Writing for a living is just as risky, even with the smaller costs of self publishing. My novel has been sent to a professional editor, someone I know from CO, and I'll have her help me format too. Hopefully I can get that out next spring.
It's a lot to think about. Long term plans versus short term plans versus status quo.
It would be so much easier if I just won the lottery.
Rainy days make me sleepy and thoughtful, not as Sad as I used to be. I was oddly peaceful this morning too, which was nice. Part of it is the new defenses I installed at work and part of it is residual from the Family Gathering Columbus Day weekend. I was reminded that weekend that if I really want something, I can make it happen.
*watches Miss Mia scurry around the downstairs.*
That hamster loves her sparkly green ball.
Anyway, I was thinking about what I really wanted to be doing. It didn't involve spreadsheets and patient outreach. It involved my laptop and about five acres of land. I really want to establish a homestead, somewhere in Tioga or Tompkins counties, with an Earthship to live in and raising Cayuga ducks, heritage chickens and heritage goats. I like my toys too much to go all the way back to homespun tech. But a mostly self sustained homestead, with the only expenses being taxes, car fuel, the Internet and those foodstuffs and things I can't make or grow myself.
It's a fun challenge to plan and plot and save for. Financing is the key, and I'm not keen on loans, but I know they are often a necessary evil. With an aggressive savings plan I can get the land and the 'ship built, from there it's time and labor. The kicker is making money. Four years at the car place taught me I do not have the cutthroat capitalist mentality to charge 300-400% mark ups on my products. I was offended every time I had to do it. Deeply offended. Didn't help the stress of working in that place either.
Banks need five year plans and profit margins and estimates before they hand out startup money. Ditto with venture capitalists and other forms of investment. Even CSAs, a business model I completely approve of, need to have products to reward their investors. Sustainable, organic farming is the hot new trend and New York State is encouraging the locavore mentality. The number of wineries in the Finger Lakes area has exploded in the last 20 years. The Freeville Earthship couple is still teaching but they're also selling eggs and chickens and some produce. I would have to do the same to pay the taxes and fuel purchases and the Internet. Writing for a living is just as risky, even with the smaller costs of self publishing. My novel has been sent to a professional editor, someone I know from CO, and I'll have her help me format too. Hopefully I can get that out next spring.
It's a lot to think about. Long term plans versus short term plans versus status quo.
It would be so much easier if I just won the lottery.
