Tuco
Power Conserver
1. What state/province/country are you in and what is your climate like?
Omaha Nebraska
2. How many people are in your family? Marital status?
Just me and my son, but he lives with his mom in Lincoln NE
3. How would you define self sufficiency?
Providing for all your needs with no external help. All done by your own labor and skills. I, however, believe that probably no one can be completely self sufficient, can you? There's always someone you have to pay for something, or there's some sort of chore that you just can't do yourself. I'm just hoping to be MOSTLY self sufficient.
4. What would you do with your spare time if you had any resources you needed?
Write music. Build custom vintage bicycles. Ride motorcycles. Create art. I'm really into learning as well.
5. Have you ever built a house , or other types of building? Do you want to?
I built a coffin once.
6. Can you weld? Steel, aluminum, MiG, TiG, stick, Oxy-Acet?
I wish!!! that is one thing I would really really really like to know how to do!
7. Who or what inspired you to become more self sufficient?
I suppose it was when I was watching Doomsday Preppers, and I saw the episode with Rick Austin (author of Secret Garden Of Survival). It was my first exposure to permaculture and self sustainability. His setup blew my mind, so I started researching more and more and more...and now I'm totally hooked. Also, this came soon after I had to close up my business (antique store) because it was just getting me into a lot of debt...so, the idea of providing much of my needs myself sounded really appealing to me.
8 Cloth or paper?
?
9. In what ways are you self sufficient now and in what ways would you like to learn more?
At the moment, I am probably the opposite of self-sufficient. Broke, jobless, sleeping on my brothers couch... That's part of why I decided to write this journal. If all works out well, it should document my journey from "total reliance" to "self sufficient". I guess there are ways that I am self sufficient at the moment. I am educating myself on the subject of "self-sufficiency" and all things related. I am already quite resourceful and knowledgable on how to get things cheap/free. I do buy and sell stuff to earn money (like I said in an earlier question, I recently had my own antique store) And to answer the second part of the question...I really want to learn all there is to know, giving me the ability to weigh my options and decide what methods are going to work best for me.
10. In what way(s) will you never choose to become self sufficient?
I can't think of anything at the moment that I'm not willing to do
11. Are you interested in stocking up for future needs?
Yes. I'm not so much of a "prepper", but I do like the idea of being prepared. One example comes to mind...I went to an estate sale...they had about 10 unopened boxes of garbage bags (mostly lawn) for $1 each...so I bought them all.
12. Where do you end up when you sink into yourself, away from the outside world?
Hmmm, that's me most of the time. I'm a thinker. I'm often lost in deep thought. Most of the time I HAVE to watch TV or something just to turn off the mind for a while.
13. Can you drive a farm tractor or a semi?
I used to be a truck driver, so I can drive a semi like no one's business. I've never driven a tractor, but I'm sure I could figure it out. I haven't found anything I can't drive yet.
14. Do you make crafts or useful items? Would you want to teach others how to do these?
I sometimes build things when I need them. I like creating art. I'm not into crafts like "Home Sweet Home" signs and such.
15. Can you have legally livestock where you are at? Do you have any? What kinds?
Dunno. No. and N/A. I need to find out the regulations, however, because I plan on becoming an urban homesteader within the city. I'd like to have chickens and/or ducks, rabbits, catfish and bees. I'm not sure if anything else would be practical on a small plot in the city. I have no desire to raise larger animals.
16. Can you operate a lathe? Metal, wood?
I did in high school, but that was many moons ago.
17. Do you like to garden? If so, what do you enjoy growing?
Yes, but I haven't done it in years. I've been reasearching it quite a bit though and I know I can have a quite successful garden/food forrest.
18. Do you fish? Bait or explosives?
Not as much as I'd like. Bait and lures.
19. How much space/land do you have or rent? City? Country?
0. I plan to purchase about a half acre in the city
20. Are you a Novice, Technician, General, Advanced? ARRL?
Nope. I'm guessing that I'm not an ARRL, because I have no idea what that is.
21. What is your self sufficient specialty? Or what one would you like to learn?
I guess providing my own income is what I know the most about, but providing my own food and energy are some things I've been researching.
22. If you could create a degree and curriculum, what would you major in and what classes would you take?
23. Do you do wood work? framing, finish, cabinet?
I've never done any professional construction work...but I can build stuff all right. I've build lots of stuff with wood. I'm a very "logical" person, so, if I don't already know it, I can figure it out.
24. Are you interested in herbal medicine?
I am a very firm believer in natural healing. Have you ever heard of the Gerson Therapy? It's a natural cure for cancer (and most other diseases) It has much higher healing rates than chemo. Chemo kills more people than it cures. The Gerson Therapy basically is: reducing the amount of toxins you take into your body, breaking up and flushing out the toxins already in the body, and compensating for any difficiencies your body has. It strengthens your immune system allowing your body to do what it was designed to do.
25. If you could live any place you chose, where would it be?
I love the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. More specifically, the Keweenaw Peninsula of the U.P.
26. Do you use a wood stove for heating or cooking?
No, but I plan to.
27. What would your ideal super hero/villain be?
28. Are your family or friends also interested in self sufficiency?
Not so much
29. Do you like to cook? Are you interested in whole foods and natural foods? raw milk? farm fresh eggs?
I don't really like to cook...but I'll do it. I'm very interested in whole/natural foods, but I have to admit, I basically eat a typical city-folk diet (not much fast food though). McDonald's meat isn't even real. Most everything from the store is genetically modified, or sprayed with chemicals, or raised with hormones. That's a big reason why I'd like to raise my own food.
30. What was your MOS?
31. Do you forage or hunt for part of your food needs?
Nope. I've never been hunting, but I'd love to. I pick berries when I'm visiting my mom in Michigan. I'd rather raise my own food than have to search for it.
32. What skills do you have that help you be more self sufficient?
Pretty much what I said in question #9
33. In which fictional universe would you most like to live?
34. Do you have solar panels? Plans to use solar energy?
I definately plan to use solar panels and, perhaps passive solar techniques as well. I may build my own panels. I'll probably also have a windmill to generate energy.
35 What is the mass/weight ratio of a European swallow carrying a coconut from the tropics to England?
Are you suggesting that coconut migrate?
36. Have you ever lived completely off grid? Would you like to?
I would love to be 100% off the grid
37. In what do you trust?
38. Do you make things yourself to save money?
Yes
39. Has trying to be more self-sufficient changed your attitude or habits about money/spending?
Yes, immensly
Omaha Nebraska
2. How many people are in your family? Marital status?
Just me and my son, but he lives with his mom in Lincoln NE
3. How would you define self sufficiency?
Providing for all your needs with no external help. All done by your own labor and skills. I, however, believe that probably no one can be completely self sufficient, can you? There's always someone you have to pay for something, or there's some sort of chore that you just can't do yourself. I'm just hoping to be MOSTLY self sufficient.
4. What would you do with your spare time if you had any resources you needed?
Write music. Build custom vintage bicycles. Ride motorcycles. Create art. I'm really into learning as well.
5. Have you ever built a house , or other types of building? Do you want to?
I built a coffin once.
6. Can you weld? Steel, aluminum, MiG, TiG, stick, Oxy-Acet?
I wish!!! that is one thing I would really really really like to know how to do!
7. Who or what inspired you to become more self sufficient?
I suppose it was when I was watching Doomsday Preppers, and I saw the episode with Rick Austin (author of Secret Garden Of Survival). It was my first exposure to permaculture and self sustainability. His setup blew my mind, so I started researching more and more and more...and now I'm totally hooked. Also, this came soon after I had to close up my business (antique store) because it was just getting me into a lot of debt...so, the idea of providing much of my needs myself sounded really appealing to me.
8 Cloth or paper?
?
9. In what ways are you self sufficient now and in what ways would you like to learn more?
At the moment, I am probably the opposite of self-sufficient. Broke, jobless, sleeping on my brothers couch... That's part of why I decided to write this journal. If all works out well, it should document my journey from "total reliance" to "self sufficient". I guess there are ways that I am self sufficient at the moment. I am educating myself on the subject of "self-sufficiency" and all things related. I am already quite resourceful and knowledgable on how to get things cheap/free. I do buy and sell stuff to earn money (like I said in an earlier question, I recently had my own antique store) And to answer the second part of the question...I really want to learn all there is to know, giving me the ability to weigh my options and decide what methods are going to work best for me.
10. In what way(s) will you never choose to become self sufficient?
I can't think of anything at the moment that I'm not willing to do
11. Are you interested in stocking up for future needs?
Yes. I'm not so much of a "prepper", but I do like the idea of being prepared. One example comes to mind...I went to an estate sale...they had about 10 unopened boxes of garbage bags (mostly lawn) for $1 each...so I bought them all.
12. Where do you end up when you sink into yourself, away from the outside world?
Hmmm, that's me most of the time. I'm a thinker. I'm often lost in deep thought. Most of the time I HAVE to watch TV or something just to turn off the mind for a while.
13. Can you drive a farm tractor or a semi?
I used to be a truck driver, so I can drive a semi like no one's business. I've never driven a tractor, but I'm sure I could figure it out. I haven't found anything I can't drive yet.
14. Do you make crafts or useful items? Would you want to teach others how to do these?
I sometimes build things when I need them. I like creating art. I'm not into crafts like "Home Sweet Home" signs and such.
15. Can you have legally livestock where you are at? Do you have any? What kinds?
Dunno. No. and N/A. I need to find out the regulations, however, because I plan on becoming an urban homesteader within the city. I'd like to have chickens and/or ducks, rabbits, catfish and bees. I'm not sure if anything else would be practical on a small plot in the city. I have no desire to raise larger animals.
16. Can you operate a lathe? Metal, wood?
I did in high school, but that was many moons ago.
17. Do you like to garden? If so, what do you enjoy growing?
Yes, but I haven't done it in years. I've been reasearching it quite a bit though and I know I can have a quite successful garden/food forrest.
18. Do you fish? Bait or explosives?
Not as much as I'd like. Bait and lures.
19. How much space/land do you have or rent? City? Country?
0. I plan to purchase about a half acre in the city
20. Are you a Novice, Technician, General, Advanced? ARRL?
Nope. I'm guessing that I'm not an ARRL, because I have no idea what that is.
21. What is your self sufficient specialty? Or what one would you like to learn?
I guess providing my own income is what I know the most about, but providing my own food and energy are some things I've been researching.
22. If you could create a degree and curriculum, what would you major in and what classes would you take?
23. Do you do wood work? framing, finish, cabinet?
I've never done any professional construction work...but I can build stuff all right. I've build lots of stuff with wood. I'm a very "logical" person, so, if I don't already know it, I can figure it out.
24. Are you interested in herbal medicine?
I am a very firm believer in natural healing. Have you ever heard of the Gerson Therapy? It's a natural cure for cancer (and most other diseases) It has much higher healing rates than chemo. Chemo kills more people than it cures. The Gerson Therapy basically is: reducing the amount of toxins you take into your body, breaking up and flushing out the toxins already in the body, and compensating for any difficiencies your body has. It strengthens your immune system allowing your body to do what it was designed to do.
25. If you could live any place you chose, where would it be?
I love the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. More specifically, the Keweenaw Peninsula of the U.P.
26. Do you use a wood stove for heating or cooking?
No, but I plan to.
27. What would your ideal super hero/villain be?
28. Are your family or friends also interested in self sufficiency?
Not so much
29. Do you like to cook? Are you interested in whole foods and natural foods? raw milk? farm fresh eggs?
I don't really like to cook...but I'll do it. I'm very interested in whole/natural foods, but I have to admit, I basically eat a typical city-folk diet (not much fast food though). McDonald's meat isn't even real. Most everything from the store is genetically modified, or sprayed with chemicals, or raised with hormones. That's a big reason why I'd like to raise my own food.
30. What was your MOS?
31. Do you forage or hunt for part of your food needs?
Nope. I've never been hunting, but I'd love to. I pick berries when I'm visiting my mom in Michigan. I'd rather raise my own food than have to search for it.
32. What skills do you have that help you be more self sufficient?
Pretty much what I said in question #9
33. In which fictional universe would you most like to live?
34. Do you have solar panels? Plans to use solar energy?
I definately plan to use solar panels and, perhaps passive solar techniques as well. I may build my own panels. I'll probably also have a windmill to generate energy.
35 What is the mass/weight ratio of a European swallow carrying a coconut from the tropics to England?
Are you suggesting that coconut migrate?
36. Have you ever lived completely off grid? Would you like to?
I would love to be 100% off the grid
37. In what do you trust?
38. Do you make things yourself to save money?
Yes
39. Has trying to be more self-sufficient changed your attitude or habits about money/spending?
Yes, immensly