Begging For Money On The Internet Is Only One Step Above Panhandling On A Street Corner But I’m Doing It Anyway
In a recent job interview—that’s right; you heard me correctly, unfortunately—the woman grilling me from behind her desk asked me what I would do if I could do anything. I didn’t hesitate before telling her that I would run my farm full-time, turning it into a more productive operation and, perhaps, a demonstration site. Needless to say, I didn’t get the job. (Was I really supposed to say that I wanted to program computers all day long?)
This is the great conundrum of the Inner City Farm. In my effort to extricate myself from the clutches of the greater market economy, I often become completely dependent on that economy. For example, photovoltaics. I would like nothing more than to slap some solar panels on the roof of my house so that I could generate my own energy and not have to rely on Austin Energy, but solar panels are freakin’ expensive!
Here’s another example. I would love to attend the workshop on urban permaculture being held at the renowned Esalen Institute in three weeks (and featured in the flyer above). It’s right up my alley. I’m sure I would learn a ton about urban sustainability and could share that information with those who follow this blog, but like solar panels the workshop requires a hefty investment. Esalen ain’t cheap.
To keep the dream alive, I added a DONATE button to this site today. It’s over there by the cheesy ads (which, if you click on them a hundred times a day, would help me keep my chickens in feed). I figure if everyone who reads this blog donated between $10 and $20 I could attend the workshop. The fee for the workshop ranges between $535 and $1,120, depending upon your accommodations. I would be happy to sleep on the floor just like the hippies who made the place famous in the ‘60s did. If I’m able to raise the money in the next ten days or so, I promise to write about the workshop every day I’m there. If not, no biggie. There will be other conferences (In fact there’s one in Austin this fall).
Tags: Esalen, Permaculture, solar penels
August 15th, 2008 at 12:53 pm
Alright dude, as someone who taught you to not throw orange peels on the trails but who now ashamedly consumes at least 246.41+ hectares of the earth’s energy in a completely unsustainable way, I feel compelled to make a small donation as I live vicariously green through your blog. So there it is. Just promise that if you don’t make enough to travel to Big Sur that you don’t use this “donation” to simply “inspire” another review of Pinapple Express. Jon’s already said it all.
August 19th, 2008 at 9:58 pm
Not even sure I know what permaculture is, but we’re good for $20…
Thinking Stoner
August 22nd, 2008 at 4:18 pm
JG:
Sweet! The DONATE button is just over there on the right. On your deathbed you will received total consciousness. Which is nice.