Jay Mansel

ris steele wrote:haha so true!

i don't post a bunch of other stuff on permies either for the same reason.

Ha.  Yeah.  Sun's up.  Stuff to do.  

I've been told, and seen other people being told that if they want to meet someone here they should post in lots of forums, not just the singles one.
My question is, "Who has time for that???"
I'm standing here at my computer covered in wood bits taking a 5 minute break before I get into something else that will take the rest of the day.  In the evenings the last thing i want to do is read about other peoples hard work.  Don't get me wrong.  I do love it.  I wouldn't trade this type of life for anything.  OK, back to work!

Jaimie

Amélie Langlois wrote:Hi Jay,

I've been looking into this forum for years now, for fun more than anything else, always noticing that  almost everyone who posts have a project and wants to invite a new parter to join them.
But I have my own project too, in Bocas. Are you around there?

Hi, Amelie.  Yeah, it does seem that a lot of people have their own projects started, and are looking for someone to join.  When I think about how I was before starting, I can understand it.  I didn't want to join someone elses operation.  I wanted to do it myself.    Anyway, yes.  I live in the same area.  I'll send you a message...

Sorry I just figured out how to reply.

You’re right, this lifestyle attracts vagrants and other unstable people who use this lifestyle as a means of escapism from their pre existing neuroses and other murky stuff going on in their psyche. They don’t know how to function in any society, they just think that running away and role-playing as pioneers will mask that.

For me it’s always been about presence. I want to live away from modern society not because I cannot function in it, I do pretty ok.. but because it’s just not conducive the our spiritual and mental well-being.

Over the years of trying to build a community, it seems that all the competent, capable, sane people are doing their own thing.  We're scattered all over the world, mostly isolated from each other.  I think if i knew many years ago what I know now I'd have look into joining someone more seriously.  Tricky thing is that joining someone else feels like losing independence, and there's something to prove to oneself being able to do it alone.  ...perhaps its too much vanity.  Either way, I love my place here.  It's better than I'd hoped.  I have some ok neighbors... just no one who's really into self sufficiency, and all that stuff.

Misuzu Henderson wrote:Thank you for the link! I will be watching it today. And, I’m sorry it took long to reply! I didn’t know there was a reply here… still not used to how to use this site. I feel exactly same what you feel about kids. My kids eyes glued on their phones is making me depressed…

You're the parent.  Don't let them glue their eyeballs to phones.  Think of it like crack cocaine.  You wouldn't let them do crack, right?

Misuzu Henderson wrote:Hi! I’m new here on Permies commenting for the very first time (a bit nervous).
You and what you are doing sound very fun. I feel your positivity. That kind of attitude is something what I’m looking for in my life, too. I’m 50 years old from Japan have been living in the US for 20+ years, single mom, divorced a couple years ago. Have three kids, the youngest son is in high school living with me. Many people around my age are thinking like,  “Maybe I’ll start what I want to do after kids are all gone…” but, I feel like why not now? I’d rather include my kids in my dream life! I’m open for extending my family.
You mentioned that you have YouTube channel. Can I watch it?  I’m very curious about how you live!

Yes!  Here's my youtube channel...
https://www.youtube.com/user/JMEMantzel

I could never understand the idea of starting to live the life you want AFTER kids are gone.  I definitely wanted to include my kids in my dream.  In fact a huge part of my dream and the motivation behind it is to give my kids a home where they'll always be welcome, and safe, and free to be themselves.  The idea of raising kids in North America where they'd be surrounded by kids with phones and tablets glued to their faces, and they're not allowed to climb trees, and ride bikes is insane to me.  ...and having gone to public school myself, I couldn't put my kids through that kind of mind numbing imagination extracting indoctrination.  I'd much rather be the "crazy guy" who lives in the wilderness with his weird kids.  

Same here.  I've been trying to collect like minded people to have a self sufficient little community for 10 years.  I've gone through loads of people.  Many of them pure nightmares.  1 guy moved here with his family, and it was going pretty well for a bit then he had some sort of mental break down, and hates me.  At first I kept trying to figure out what I'd done wrong.  ...until one of my neighbors was complaining about the guy, and that he doesn't get along with anyone.  
2 other people have moved here, and I don't currently speak with either of them.

Things are going pretty well at my place, but building a community might be a failed dream.  There are some decent people already living in the area, though, so that's pretty cool.  just.... not really self sufficient types.

Jd Elliott wrote:I like this.
You have a good thing going there!  

What does your day to day task list/ lifestyle entail at present?  (ie Do you also commute for work or have a remote job?)  

Lately, I wake up, do morning exercises, Go outside to get a coconut, shred coconut, eat some in cereal, use the rest in Coconut sourdough bread.  While eating breakfast I give my kids math questions.
After that... depends on the weather.  Some digging, working on my house, making inventions of various types.  Once in a while I'll go to town for stuff.  I haven't gone in the last month, so might go soon.  Right now I'm working on a banked running track on the 2nd floor of my house.  ...and perfecting a wind up fan (3D printing those parts).  ...and getting more fruit trees growing. Today I did a lot of work outside, and was really hot, so I came in, turned on a fan, and played nintendo for half an hour to cool off.
Had peanut butter, plantain jam sandwiches for lunch.  Plantain jam is just mashed plantains with cinnamon.  It's surprisingly delicious.
Before dinner I usually go down to the beach with kids, and swim, then showers, and relax for the rest of the day.  Make dinner, eat while telling dad jokes, and listening to armpit fart sounds followed by hysterical laughter.  There's also a long running saga of a cat who has magical farts that would take a while to explain.
Tonight we watched an episode of "North and South".  Now everyone but me is asleep.  So.... I'll relax, and think of future plans, and probably go to sleep early.  I'm still hoping to at some point be making those plans with someone else.

My "job" is making youtube videos.  I don't really do it to make money.  I share my life, and philosophy, and inventions.  It's making enough money that I don't need another job, so as long as that's the case I'm putting all my time into my homestead, my creations, and my family.