Wendy Dockweiler

Awesome! Thanks, Clayton and Paul. Here in Austin, the 'squiters are relentless, and I have the scars to prove it! Glad I won't have to contend with them while I'm there!

Thanks, Thomas.

What is an acceptable form of bug repellent? Is there a natural formula that folks use? Is what one would get at a store acceptable? I don't want to be ignorant; I honestly have no idea if what I usually use is eco-friendly.

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I'm SUPER EXCITED to be able to spend some time at boot camp, learning stuff, meeting new people, getting my hands dirty, etc.! I've been poking around the threads and podcasts trying to piece together what I might expect, and perhaps I haven't come across this information yet (forgive me if I'm asking the same stuff a hundred people before me have already asked), but here are a few things I've thought about that I could really use some feedback on:
I understand that very basic food staples are provided,  so how does one go about making sure one doesn't starve?
While I don't anticipate spending a whole lotta time on my phone or computer, I would like to be able to check in with the fam a few times during my stay. What is the situation with access to the outside world through WiFi, etc.?

Please tell me if I'm understanding correctly how boot camp basically works:
New boots spend some time after arrival to meet folks and feel out who needs help with stuff that I'm compatible with in my interests and abilities. These folks would kinda be taking me under wing to show me the ropes,  as my confidence and understanding of what I can do to benefit the community.

I'm pretty much going to be a longer-termed person's little biych

That's all i have for now

Thanks for your sound advice, Orin.

Orin Raichart wrote:I've learned that sometimes it is the social and other conditions around a person which is "the problem" and other times it is one's own self that is "the problem"....it is pretty easy to tell; if you have similar issues in a new place with strangers, that stuff is probably yours; if the issues disappear, that stuff belongs to the conditions you left behind.  Also consider a plant: some plants like certain conditions and are awesome under those conditions and under other conditions, the plant looks pretty sad.

I'm not perfect, of course, but I am willing to listen when a friend or family brings to my attention that I'm being an ass. I'm very self-aware and I can honestly say that the proverbial "straw that broke the camel's back" is the stress I've encountered in my environment. That's not to say one day I just woke up and thought, "Work sucks! I'm going to drop everything and go live off the land." It's that I've become a slave to what I have no control over, unless I do something to change that. I honestly think the ground I'm inhabiting has become infertile.

Orin Raichart wrote:As for what you want, it is possible to have conflicting desires which oppose each other. Sometimes conflicting desires are completely opposed to each other and sometimes there's just a little inner conflict. Sometimes it's just a matter of realizing we humans tend to look for conflict to be resolved and one already has every thing one wants. I think one has to prioritize one's values (or atleast one's wants and desires), in order to resolve such desire conflicts.

I have a good idea what I want; it's how I need to go about getting it that is troubling. I'm concerned about being able to attain what I want at all. I gather from what I've been reading, that one has a better chance of success if they have a passive residual income, and I do not currently have that. I know I don't really need to be concerned about this right now; I will be able to prioritize what I need to do once I go to boot camp.

Thank you, KC. I don't have a clue where to start. I have a small back yard, so perhaps start with a couple raised beds? I like the sound of cucumbers and pickling them.

So I've poked around and find I'm becoming overwhelmed by all the things I am completely unaware of. I'm not put off by it, but now I have thoughts like, "Is this possible for me to do?" and, "Am I crazy for wanting to just dive right in, even though I know virtually nothing about permaculture?" I've been daydreaming about how soon I'd be able to join a boot camp (if I could go tomorrow I'd be fulfilling my need for instant gratification, but I'm too logical for that!). I read on another post where the poster wrote something like, "I don't know if I'm running away from something or toward something" and I instantly identified with that notion. I have some vacation time so I'm considering using that to go to boot camp and hopefully be able to decide if I'm just being impulsive  at the thought of completely changing everything, or if this is a kick start to finding what I feel I need to do to become the person, and live like I honestly think is what I want.
I wonder if I need to have a little more than just my common sense and inspired motivation to begin this adventure to give myself the best shot at making an educated decision or, if I should just throw logic out the window and "use the Force" and follow my feelings. Is it necessary, in order to be successful, to have at least had my own garden or compost pile, or is it enough that I really just want to learn as much as I can with an open mind and absorb whatever experience comes to me?
Has anyone else joined in there on a whim and it turned out to be the best decision of their lives? I'd love to hear your story, as much as those who might have had a less than favorable experience.

Hi John, I'm Wendy. 44 yo sf and just exploring the idea of living the permiculture way. It's something I've actually thought about for years, but I've  bought into the fallacy that success and happiness are only found in the pursuit of the next promotion and what part of town you live in. I'm finally fed up with the stress of having to meet others' professional standards, while ultimately compromising what is important to me: living a meaningful life on my own terms. I long for the simplicity of living a self-reliant life.

Having someone to share this meaningful, simple life with is a big part of what I want, as well. My kids are grown and I've been divorced for 20 years, of which the past five I've done some soul searching about whether I want to be single or have a partner to share in all aspects of life. A good part of that time I have felt truly happy and content as an independent woman. I still am, it's just that lately I've been contemplating if it is truly what I WANT. My answer is, I don't want to keep "me" to myself. I want to share all that I have...my feelings, thoughts, dreams, fears, insecurities...all of it,  with the one person that will look at me, and despite my faults, appreciate and accept me in all my imperfections. And I want to reciprocate that for him.

Anyway, hope I didn't rant too much. I just saw an opportunity to share what I'm thinking and took it. If you'd like to talk sometime, I'm open to that. All the best to you!

Thank you Orin and Tereza! I understand that this kind of living can be physically demanding, and I'm not afraid of hard work and getting my hands dirty. I'm looking to better myself, become healthier, and remove as much civilized stress from my life as possible. I have a slipped disc in my back, but I am cognizant of my abilities and when I need to slow down. Perhaps the conditioning of physical work will help with strengthening my weaknesses. I'm also looking for spiritual decontamination and would think that learning to rely more on my abilities and the help of others where I need guidance would open that door for me.

Hi y'all! My name is Wendy and I'm in Austin, TX. I just recently (as in, just this week) began researching homesteading/living "off grid"/intentional communities/permaculture, and lo and behold, it led me here! What led me here is how fed up I'm becoming with my existence being dictated by making ends meet in a society that  defines success by how much money you make, which determines how and where I live. I long for a simpler life, surrounding myself with like-minded folks with whom I can build trust and are as interested in me as I am in them. I'd welcome any feedback, suggestions,  discussions, and anecdotes as I explore the possibility of making a huge change in how I live. Thanks, and I look forward to where this might lead!