Dissipated and Shipping Container Houses

Well.. I am back... Life got busy, in result, I had no life for a few weeks, but happily, things are getting back to where they need to be, and I have returned here, as it should be.

I know I promised a astronomy post about telling time with the moon. Needless to say, that is still a work in progress. However I bring you something a bit more fun.

A growing trend is making houses out of shipping crates. With the right chemical spray, one can even make the shipping crate insulated. It is very cost effective, and very versatile.

http://www.azcentral.com/business/consumer/articles/2008/09/23/20080923biz-containerhomes23-ON.html

I particularly like the pictures in this link, because they demonstrate both the simplicity and usefulness of this idea:

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2008/10/shipping-container-houses.php

This one is a whole complex of shipping crate houses:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/neil_b/207154861

Keeping it together

Even though cleaning and keeping things organized seems like a chore, it is a great thing for the mind. It saves headache and stress when you are trying to find something, as well as, being easier to think and get what you need done when you need to do it. So, I have included some links about organization that may help you.

It is good to have a emergency leave the house kit/box. If for some reason, God forbid, you have to escape your house from fire or any other natural disaster, you want to have all your important paperwork together (eg. birth certificate, social security, etc.)It does not have to be anything fancy, but we are a paper based society, so without your documents, it would be difficult to claim who you are. It's like a first aid kit for your identity.

http://www.cnn.com/2009/LIVING/homestyle/01/05/mhi.organize.your.closets/index.html


http://www.ehow.com/how_2109082_become-organized-one-minute-time.html

http://zenhabits.net/2007/11/obsessive-compulsives-guide-top-12-organizing-tips-plus-resources/

Revamp

Over the next week or two, I shall revamping this blog. I plan to give a new face, perhaps edit/ combine some previous posts, and put up more links.

I know my writing tends to be a bit haphazard, but anything I put up is something I feel people need to know.

Going with that theme, I tell you that right now it nearly March. It is not too late to put your gardens, and practice you skills. If the economic trend continues, you will need these skills. Right now things are still floating, so it gives you this planting season to practice a little bit.
on the new

We see and hear on the news the government, the president, and the media are all calling crisis. They all have been telling us to prepare. We read on the news that the military is being trained to handle riots and civil unrest. Even they are being prepared, we need to as well.

Take Care!

Recession, Depression...either way we all suffer.

Well, as much we do not wish to believe we are in a recession, we are.
Of course there are people who saw this coming years ago, and have always penny pinched, and always prepared; but for others who have not worked long enough or not saved, penny pinching is more vital than ever.

I saw this on the New York Times website. The article is called Low Tech Fixes for High Tech Problems.

Other article of note is that Washington State is doing fairly well. In fact their economy is growing versus shrinking.

More Projects

I like my projects. I know I have too many of them, but there is just so much I want to get done. This past weekend when a friend of mine came to visit, we were talking about composting, which ties right into my gardening project. It is really good way to get nutrition to your plants and safer than manure. I will post more about this later once I figure out what I want to do, and how I want to do it.

"When I woke up this morning, there was ice on my car window, but now I am in shorts."

This morning when I woke up at 7am, there was ice on my window. Not Northern, need a ice scraper, ice, but enough where I had to wait a good five minutes before it started to melt and clear up. However, by 1pm when I saw good friend of mine, he was already in shorts. That's Texas weather for you.

Moving on. Projects. All my project going slowly to my dismay, but all takes time and effort. For my Lost Arts, I am thinking about learning how to make cloth diapers from a good friend of mine. A lot of people depend on disposable diapers. They are not a bad thing, but they can get costly. Cloth diapers are reusable, and it has been said that cloth diapers can be more comfortable for the baby.

Also, as spring is coming closer, I am thinking about planting a small garden. I enjoy cooking, so I think this is a good way to bring many of my projects together. I can add more to my Lost Arts project, cut my costs, and best of all I know what I am putting my food. I doubt I would make enough to last me all year, but I would have plenty to eat for a while. I am in the mists of deciding what to plant, and what I would need to do each for type of vegetable.

Lastly, I have come upon a book that has really struck my interest. I just started reading The Catcher in the Rye. The book starts with "If you really want to hear about it, the first thing you'll probably want to know is where I was born, and what my lousy childhood was like, and how my parents were occupied and all before they had me, and all that David Copperfield kind of crap, but I don't feel like going into it, if you want to know the truth." If you get a chance to read this book, I highly suggest it.

Keep and eye on the news everyone. Lately, France is rioting already, the postal service wants delivery to move to five (5) days instead of six (6), because they are in the red, and California will be stopping grants, tax refunds, and welfare, as of tomorrow. Watch the news, and be careful.

The Internet Can be a Musician's Best Friend.

One of my many projects is to get my viola back into good condition and start playing again frequently. There is nothing wrong with it, but I need to have it restrung along with some other minor care issues. Currently, I have already cleaned it, and now I have to get new strings for it.

So in my quest of not going broke with my project, I searched online for strings. I remember when I first played my voila, that even the thinnest string (the cheapest) was ten dollars. As the strings got thicker, so did the price. I was incredibly pleased with what I found. Hence the title of this post. Moreover, it has been about five years since I last changed a string, so I looked up how to, which will save me the money from getting someone else to do it. If anyone wants any links to all this, just comment.

It has been said by many that music, well particularly classic music, is a waste of time. Well, I beg to differ. Perhaps my opinion is a bit bias, because I love classical music, but in times of crisis and survival situation, stories and music along with food is how morale is kept up. Moreover, just because an instrument is dubbed as an classical music instrument only, it does not mean it can not play contemporary music.

I like to mention that Music is processed differently than other types of information to your brain. It has been seen many times when an elderly person will cry when they hear a song, but have no idea why. It is because the song is linked to the emotion of the memory.

Stay well and stay warm.

Lost Arts

We are so dependent upon people making things for us. I know it is because of the economic principle of how much our time is worth, and it is not worth our time to grow and or kill our own food, and process it. Also it is not worth our time to make candy, toys, butter, candles, or even sew our own clothing. However, if these services for some reason were not available, most people would not know what to do.

So along with my urge to stock, as mentioned previously, I have decided to embark on the lost arts. I want to make a book out of what I try and what I fail at. I know there are many resources both via the internet, and via books that are available, which I intend to use; however, there is nothing like experimenting and understanding first hand how different things react. (I already understand what not to put together thanks to high school chemistry, so do not worry, I shall not cause too much harm to myself.)

I found this one blog that maybe of assistance to me, and to anyone else who wishes to embark on the lost arts. The Lost Arts.

Also, I am proud to announce I have acquired a telescope. It is not a big one, but it was inexpensive, and of decent quality. I was going to build one, but I have not had a chance, nor the money to do so. I am a bit of an astronomy buff.. unfortunately, I only really know the basics, but in theme of lost arts, I want to keep learning. about the night sky (and day sky). I know already that you can tell time, direction, and if you are good enough, even tell what day it is, with astronomy. I have posted before about using the sky to tell direction, if anyone wants to read it.

Take care and be well. If anyone else is embarking the lost arts, let me know about your trials and errors.

It is good for you.

I have been thinking about starting a exercise routine.
I know it is good for me.
Also, once you get in the routine, then it is easier to stick to it.

I found this neat article with tips on ehow.com for doing this.

http://www.ehow.com/how_2054054_stick-workout-program.html

Exercise just makes you feel better.
When you exercise it releases a hormone that makes you happy, and for each pound you loose, you take four pounds of your knees.

Take care and stay well!

How to do anything

I found this really neat site that has basic steps on how to do most things.

Enjoy!

http://www.ehow.com/

DIY

DIY (Do it yourself) is a major current trend that has been around for a while
It is a good way to save money, and to learn about the things around you that you use every day.
Of course, doing a DIY project is only good, and only saves money if you do it right.
I read this article/blog about common DIY mistakes.
Hopefully this will help anyone out there who takes on a DIY project.
http://shine.yahoo.com/channel/home/5-common-do-it-yourself-mistakes-and-how-to-avoid-them-189644/

Good luck and best wishes.