Kimberly Stoves...huh...built for small spaces. This looks amazing and right up my alley!
Wednesday, March 27, 2013
Heating...finding new things.
No matter what rig i end up choosing there are some fundamentals that I will be in need of. One is heat. I love wood stoves, but didn't think that would be much of an option....until I found this.
Kimberly Stoves...huh...built for small spaces. This looks amazing and right up my alley!
Kimberly Stoves...huh...built for small spaces. This looks amazing and right up my alley!
Friday, March 22, 2013
Facing the Tempest: Ramblin' and On and On
Facing the Tempest: Ramblin' and On and On: Talk about a busy month. In 9 days I traversed the southern half of the eastern seaboard and a couple of northern states...9 states in all. ...
Ramblin' and On and On
Talk about a busy month. In 9 days I traversed the southern half of the eastern seaboard and a couple of northern states...9 states in all. Unfortunately I didn't have the luxury of one state a day. Well thems the breaks when you have appointments. I can now say that I am officially certified as a Wilderness first aider. That is fairly exciting. I find it of great need to be prepared for things. What things? Anything really. I'm not a preper in the traditional sense. Most of those yahoos are just waiting for "the great revolution" or "the end times". I'll tell you, those scenario's will not play out like you think they will. I'm fairly certain of that. However, with climate change also comes, as most of you have seen, completely insane weather. Being prepared for some form of natural disaster is slightly more relevant than waiting for some half asserted revolution. Come on, look at this population...most of these fat lazy bastards are couch potato revolutionaries. They will take part in anything as long as they don't miss the new episode of CSI. Fucking pathetic. I digress, I like to be prepared. I found on these trips that I am in sore need of a good camp stove. I've been putting this off for FAR to long. I don't really do much multi-day back country camping. So when I do camp it tends to be in a more convenient location to just use a good cooking fire. So, in short, less gear to carry. However, with all the insane traveling I am starting to get into, and with my very specialized diet and dislike of going to restaurants, a cooking stove is on top of my list to buy. I find it handy to be able to cook my cup of veggies or steam some rice in my own time. It's the little things that make traveling more fun. The more one travels the more one gets a good travel kit together.
On top of getting my WFA certification I nailed an internship in North Carolina at the Carl Sandburg Home National Park. This stokes my souls fires. You see, I'm one of those crazy artist types that also an idealist. I want the work I do to mean something. That's one reason I am an environmentalist. Part of my inspiration for my music and other art is the natural world. This is the same for many people in many professions. I put my effort, professionally, into helping the environment, saving it from the uneducated and immoral louts of the world. I suppose having strong ideals about the world plays into wanting to live small. It's a blessing and a curse having such a wide eyed view of the world. One foot in front of the other. I am getting where I want to be professionally, spiritually, emotionally, and any other ally that you can think of in small strides. A person should not be afraid to see whats around the next corner.
I know many people who are timid to traveling or even moving. Some are uncomfortably attached to their families. To me that is rather unhealthy. Other folks don't like to get taken out of their comfort zone. I find that comfort zone hampers personal growth. I don't necessarily enjoy the feeling, but embrace it. Stepping into the unknown helps me to grow into that mighty oak i yearn to become. New experiences is like a hit of protein powder before a solid work out.
I've rambled enough in a fairly non-focused way. I'm going to be productive away from the internet.
Be strong.
Be steady.
Be true.
*Brought to you by Rollins Band - Blues Jam*
On top of getting my WFA certification I nailed an internship in North Carolina at the Carl Sandburg Home National Park. This stokes my souls fires. You see, I'm one of those crazy artist types that also an idealist. I want the work I do to mean something. That's one reason I am an environmentalist. Part of my inspiration for my music and other art is the natural world. This is the same for many people in many professions. I put my effort, professionally, into helping the environment, saving it from the uneducated and immoral louts of the world. I suppose having strong ideals about the world plays into wanting to live small. It's a blessing and a curse having such a wide eyed view of the world. One foot in front of the other. I am getting where I want to be professionally, spiritually, emotionally, and any other ally that you can think of in small strides. A person should not be afraid to see whats around the next corner.
I know many people who are timid to traveling or even moving. Some are uncomfortably attached to their families. To me that is rather unhealthy. Other folks don't like to get taken out of their comfort zone. I find that comfort zone hampers personal growth. I don't necessarily enjoy the feeling, but embrace it. Stepping into the unknown helps me to grow into that mighty oak i yearn to become. New experiences is like a hit of protein powder before a solid work out.
I've rambled enough in a fairly non-focused way. I'm going to be productive away from the internet.
Be strong.
Be steady.
Be true.
*Brought to you by Rollins Band - Blues Jam*
Saturday, March 2, 2013
Fuel the fires within..
This is a subject I will not talk about very often, but it's on my mind as i sit here and watch the Vegan Black Metal Chef. I've had a very weird eating history. I was a fat kid. I was in that first real wave of obese U.S. citizens that came up in the 80's and 90's. My situation was not a biological problem. My environment shaped my body. I spent much time outdoors, and you'd think that I would get plenty of exercise by that fact alone. I ran around so much it was unreal. However, due to my Mum trying to raise me Vegetarian and everyone else giving me food I became a human garbage disposal. I was lucky enough to be a budding picky eater. It wasn't as evident in my youth as it is now, but I never got a taste for Soda Pop (thankfully). I never got a taste for some of the nastier things. I did have a nasty fast food habit. My body is responsive more than some to the things i put into it. At my peak I weighed in at over 300 pounds...probably well over. I was miserable. It took a ton of bad health habits and poor food to send me over the edge my first year in college and I got sick. That sickness put me down for a couple of years. During that time I began to read, and due to my lack of ability to eat much I began to watch the food network like a mad man (I haven't watched television in nearly 7 years).
I'm a late bloomer, but at this point my mind really began to open. I've never been dumb. Though, for a long time I was a very "learn by mistake" person. As my consciousness expanded I began to learn things about myself. I changed my diet and I got on the mend. I haven't eaten beef since I was 19. That was the first big decision I made. The process of knowing oneself is a life long journey. In the area I grew up in, making the choice to not eat cow is HUGE. Maybe not to my Mum, but to everyone else it is. That was the first of the big decisions I've made. Maybe one day i'll talk about my faith choices...that one still gets to the yokels. Anyway, as my diet changed to what I wanted it to be I felt better. My Mum honestly believes that cooking is bad for a person. I don't believe that. I do think most people cook in a very unhealthy manner. Just walk into any given city in the United States and the obesity rate will completely blow your mind. I know it blows my mind. Going out to eat (assuming you can find a place that doesn't serve FDA approved toxic waste) is rather horrifying. Serving portions are blowing away HUGE in the middle of this country. I've found from my travels that coastal areas tend to give a bit less food per meal (with higher prices...go figure).
So...i've picked up a few things about health over the years and made choices. I'm gluten free, beef free, milk free (I still eat cheese and yogurt). I'm not vegetarian or vegan. I eat chicken and fish, but i'm VERY picky about where my meat comes from. I don't want antibiotics and steroids pumped into my meat. Not good for the animal and not good for me. The largest choice was going gluten free. There are extenuating circumstances behind that choice, but it's a choir. A labor of love, if you will. It makes me feel great. I work out for the same reason...it makes me feel good.
I don't understand people who eat trash. People who put drinks into their system that can DEGREASE AN ENGINE. My body matters to me. I don't want to be on 23432 different medicines when i'm 50 because I ate 12 pounds of salt a year on top of mounds of buttered bacon. My body is a temple. My body is like any other bio system. If you put toxic waste into the natural cycle it will eventually stop that system. I've witnessed to many people in my family or associated with my family (family = biological and friend based) not care that much about their health. It's just down right sad and scary. So in a sense i've become a picky eater because I only want high quality fuel for my body. I enjoy staying healthy. I can't lie and say i don't get worried that i'll get fat again. Anyone who has lost over 160 pounds will tell you that they never want to go back. I am such a different person in some respects. In others i'm just more enhanced.
What we put into our bodies is purely our choice. If you fill your body with junk, what does that say about who you are? Do you eat fast food daily because "I don't have time for anything else". There is no excuse...none. My health comes first. One of the basic natural traits is personal safety. Eating properly, whatever that is for you, is just as important as breathing clean air or sleeping enough.
I think you get the point.
I'm a late bloomer, but at this point my mind really began to open. I've never been dumb. Though, for a long time I was a very "learn by mistake" person. As my consciousness expanded I began to learn things about myself. I changed my diet and I got on the mend. I haven't eaten beef since I was 19. That was the first big decision I made. The process of knowing oneself is a life long journey. In the area I grew up in, making the choice to not eat cow is HUGE. Maybe not to my Mum, but to everyone else it is. That was the first of the big decisions I've made. Maybe one day i'll talk about my faith choices...that one still gets to the yokels. Anyway, as my diet changed to what I wanted it to be I felt better. My Mum honestly believes that cooking is bad for a person. I don't believe that. I do think most people cook in a very unhealthy manner. Just walk into any given city in the United States and the obesity rate will completely blow your mind. I know it blows my mind. Going out to eat (assuming you can find a place that doesn't serve FDA approved toxic waste) is rather horrifying. Serving portions are blowing away HUGE in the middle of this country. I've found from my travels that coastal areas tend to give a bit less food per meal (with higher prices...go figure).
So...i've picked up a few things about health over the years and made choices. I'm gluten free, beef free, milk free (I still eat cheese and yogurt). I'm not vegetarian or vegan. I eat chicken and fish, but i'm VERY picky about where my meat comes from. I don't want antibiotics and steroids pumped into my meat. Not good for the animal and not good for me. The largest choice was going gluten free. There are extenuating circumstances behind that choice, but it's a choir. A labor of love, if you will. It makes me feel great. I work out for the same reason...it makes me feel good.
I don't understand people who eat trash. People who put drinks into their system that can DEGREASE AN ENGINE. My body matters to me. I don't want to be on 23432 different medicines when i'm 50 because I ate 12 pounds of salt a year on top of mounds of buttered bacon. My body is a temple. My body is like any other bio system. If you put toxic waste into the natural cycle it will eventually stop that system. I've witnessed to many people in my family or associated with my family (family = biological and friend based) not care that much about their health. It's just down right sad and scary. So in a sense i've become a picky eater because I only want high quality fuel for my body. I enjoy staying healthy. I can't lie and say i don't get worried that i'll get fat again. Anyone who has lost over 160 pounds will tell you that they never want to go back. I am such a different person in some respects. In others i'm just more enhanced.
What we put into our bodies is purely our choice. If you fill your body with junk, what does that say about who you are? Do you eat fast food daily because "I don't have time for anything else". There is no excuse...none. My health comes first. One of the basic natural traits is personal safety. Eating properly, whatever that is for you, is just as important as breathing clean air or sleeping enough.
I think you get the point.
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