Dez Graduate Program (Second Quest)

Awesome, Dez!! Now you get to live the dream. Let us know what kinds of things you need 😁 jars? Seeds? Water filter? Tools?
I'm excited for you!

This looks like it could be a very interesting thread over time.

Maybe, perhaps consider responding to people who have taken the time to reply to your thread and offer advice? It's more rewarding to have a small community of your own than live at the end of a long one-way lane...

Wow! Congrats Dez! I’ve enjoyed seeing pics of and from you over the last couple years. I hope you keep this thread alive and share your journey and build and news with us.

We’re building a house right now too, but with a family and at 53, my wife helped me decide that Bootcamp (a third time! Last two were for Uncle Sam though) wasn’t a path right for our family. Totally digging what you are doing though, and looking forward to seeing your progress.

Are you planning to overwinter on your plot? What sort of tools or supplies would be helpful? If you need a sleeping bag, by far the best investment I’ve ever found is from Wiggy’s in Colorado, if you don’t mind synthetic fiber/fill. Same for socks, fishnet long underwear, mittens, coats, etc. I own all of those and have sleeping bags for the whole family in case of multiple day wintertime power loss.

The new house is getting a Walker style/brick bell RMH next in a few weeks when I get home. Bricks and flagstones are already sitting in the yard, waiting… didn’t see if you are planning a RMH or starting with just a wood stove for winter number 1?

Rebekah Harmon wrote:Awesome, Dez!! Now you get to live the dream. Let us know what kinds of things you need 😁 jars? Seeds? Water filter? Tools?
I'm excited for you!

Yes, let us know!

Many Blessings,

Post 6, Saturday

I’ve not checked this in a while because I’ve been coordinating a short travel across the states.. I was hoping to overwinter but missed my outside peeps too much.. you see, I was hyper focusing on my mission to earn this acre and took time off only for wellness days and one pdc.. never realized how much I’d miss fam outside of permaculture paradise.. thank you everyone for staying in the loop of my journey.. your support means so much to me and I plan to respond to each individual reply.. i'm just so slow with computers for some reason~!.. thanks for your patience--and i will respond to you~!..

…….this week I was on a road trip taking me to Fayetteville Arkansas.. arrived last night and went to bed around midnight.. I’ll be here to buy a car (preferably a used Prius, but considering other vehicles that sip gas).. and my budget is $2000-3000.. I want to start a patreon so I can receive direct support more securely and such (but as i mention, i am slow like molasses).. I also currently do have PayPal.. this is certainly not a solo journey, and that’s the beauty of it right?!

....... on the drive over, we camped two nights at bear lodge in wyoming.. Ash was kind enough to house AND FEED us in Colorado.. then the final stint began at 4am to slide into a sleeping bag at midnight in Arkansas.. needless to say it was quite an adventure and our safe/boring/planned arrival was a great blessing indeed.. journeys can be long; transitions can be ominous; support and kindness are the wind in my sails.. i'm so grateful for all of the support from permies~!!.. of course, a special thanks to the man who choreographs such fantastic things to happen--Mr Paul Wheaton himself..~!!!

....... this winter/holidays will be spent off the lab, but come spring, I'd like to continue building fun things and posting pictures.. in the meantime, if anyone would want an actual bootcamp-grad to stop by their area to help with anything from sweeping the floors to roundwood carpentry, seriously PLEEEEASE REACH ME~!.. as mentioned, i am coordinating a small road trip travel session to celebrate graduating with not only skills, but the honorable experience of Wheaton Labs Bootcamp.. my main lesson/take-away has to be a revamped/refurbished desire to be a kind/respectful human in the world (i've met so many examples to follow in this regard--fred, mike, beau, opalyn, nicole, liv, matt, jim, alan, lisa, JR, amey, josiah/jen.. just to name a few, because the list goes on), so WHAT BETTER WAY than to visit those who can't/haven't been able to visit the lab???--I'd be honored and privileged to offer my help in your endeavors.. this would certainly include anyone on permies that's been following me or supporting me.. again, please reach me.. (the idea of this thrills me pantalones style~!)

....... part of my second quest is to structure my time to be able to give back to this community and develop my own capacities to just serve.. i love you and thank you from the bottom of my heart.. hope to see you [soon] and post more frequently than i have been..

sincerely yours,
dez =D * <3

Dez Choi wrote:.... on the drive over, we camped two nights at bear lodge in wyoming..

On my ride home from the PTJ, I was wowed by the eastern parts of Yellowstone, but floored by the presence of Bear Lodge. Were you camping in the actual park?

If you might be taking your adventures anywhere near the back waters of Wisconsin, I'd be glad to show you as much as you can stand of what you have foregone by not living in a tent through winter, assuming I can keep up the living part of that formula until then...

Post 7, Monday

The day I get set up at my temporary room, it just so happens that naked and afra1d is on.. this is the show that partly inspired me to depart from the “normal” way of life-ing.. I still love this show but I don’t know why!.. :)

Today’s objective was to pick up a temporary car and get a temporary room… certainly not the leanest plan ever (money wise) but it buys me time to pick up the next token.. and it’s all about making IT happen..

When I first started Bootcamp.. apparently someone at the lab thought of me a certain way.. and then upon my crossing the finish line, this same someone remarked that now they see me as someone that could go do “anything”.. Wouldn’t it be cool if I went on this show and tore it up?!.. the idea of it tickles me.. partly because then permies could see me in my birthday suit, and partly because I would televise Bootcamp, by saying something like, “thank you WL Bootcamp for preparing me for this!!.. just an idea.. ;)

Ps.. by the way.. tearing it up would consist of building a beautiful functional shelter and finishing something challenging that most people do not.. figure it out and give a sh1t is what it takes.. In both arenas..

You summed it up very nicely beau.. Your graphics is now my vision board! Let’s see how amazingly permies show up :) my main objective, again, is service to the people.. so no matter what I’ll be grateful..

Dez,
I moved the car post over here to run it through the dailyish:

dez car.

Beau Davidson wrote:Hello Dez-Appreciators of Permies.

I chatted with Dez a wee bit yesterday.

He's looking for a car, and I thought I'd tap the collective conscious to see how we could help.

Parameters:
*Reliable, gas-sipping car to get him from Arkansas to California, and back to the Lab.  Maybe a used Prius.  
*He has I think $3k to put towards it.
*Must be from a non-smoking, non-pet owner because sensitivities and stuff.
*He's currently in Arkansas, but might be able to come get it from somewhere in the region.

I think lots of people use facebook or dealerships for stuff like this, but that wouldn't be very Dez-ish.  I'm wondering if someone will see this and say "you know what?  I may know just the solution for Dez the Magnificent."  Is that someone you?  Respond here, or to Dez directly, or to me for any related reason.

Anything to add, Dez?

Post 8, Saturday

Updates:
0) I was able to me up with Chase and work on his permaculture landscaping business project.. I pulled a bunch of Johnson grass..

1) Car—acquired. Answered prayer. Feel a bit like neo in the subway scene.. where m0rpheus, in certainty, says, “he’s beginning to believe…!”
    Sometimes I talk to my late mother. Am I the only one who does this? As you may already know, we didn’t have the best of terms necessarily, toward her final quarter here on earth.. but I Just know somehow that she’s with me everywhere I go.
    After several hours and days of car hunting, I asked her for help because I felt my own wheels spinning (so to speak), in this effort. At the end of a long day, about to head home, I hear a small whisper, “go to twin auto and look at that one car from the internet ad..” so I find the last bit of willingness, and go.. the vehicle looks good; the seller is some honorable guy doing a “fix it forward” type of thing; AND it’s the kind of car that my mom would have trusted and driven herself.. needless to say it felt way more right than ANY other car I test drove or came across.. it’s not exactly a fuel sipper, but that’s okay for now.. my heart bursts even as I write this entry because I just want to make my parents proud.. this car isn’t mine—I’m just stewarding it.. and I hope to do a good job.. thanks momma.. always watching over me and stuff.. words can’t describe.. thank you beau and everyone else for helping with this part of the journey..!

2) travels—planning a drive through Kansas, Texas, California, Seattle, then back to Montana.. visiting friends, fam, and fellow permies.. moosage me if I can stop by and sweep your floors or lend a hand with anything.. seriously! Not sure where I’ll be finding shelter.. for now it’s nomad van life.. it’s not the best plan probably that’s just the best that my somewhat limited brain has come up with..

3) longish term—the vision unfolds as steps are taken in faith and community.. the end goal is to keep developing the Plot Thicccens, to eventually winter through comfortably and luxuriously.. and then some..

    There overarching theme is still stewardship.. it’s my honor and privilege to be partnered up with such amazing people in this life.. thank you!