Comments on: New Directions at LivingSmall

By: Jennifer

Jennifer — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 20:09:45 +0000

Facebook is planning a data center in Prineville, OR. Prineville is in Crook County, which has 17% unemployment. It’s primarily a ranching community, used to be logging too but not anymore. The town & the county are GIDDY. They say it’ll bring 35 jobs.

Interesting, in light of this discussion.

By: Charlotte

Charlotte — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 21:50:02 +0000

Here’s a link to the story about artists colonizing Detroit, and even building their own small solar systems. I think you’re right Chris, maybe a first step is for us to start bartering with one another — it’s long been a wintertime staple around here among the out-of-work construction guys. Chuck just bartered help with a floor for an old car (since his died).
Detroit’s hard edge — and dirt-cheap real estate — attract artists from around the world

From The Detroit News: http://detnews.com/article/20090313/LIFESTYLE/903130306/Detroit-s-hard-edge—-and-dirt-cheap-real-estate—-attract-artists-from-around-the-world#ixzz0dZL5YdSz

By: Chris L

Chris L — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 20:44:21 +0000

So maybe it won’t exactly be bartering — but if households are “producers” — and not just of things, but of services — then maybe there’s a way for small networks of services to avoid what sounds exactly like “privatization” when certain students’ families can afford to pay for admission application counseling whereas others can’t.

By: Jennifer

Jennifer — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 20:25:53 +0000

OK, last comment. It seems to me there’s an opportunity for freelancers to band together & create an artificial company which would provide health care for its members, lower that social security #, offer a 401(k), etc. Something like a co-op, I guess — somewhere between a co-op and a small company.

Gov’t & finance is a game; can’t change the rules, can only work around ‘em…

The job of the future? Accountant.

By: Jennifer

Jennifer — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 20:20:08 +0000

Here’s another thought. I read somewhere that 100 years ago, the American household was a unit of production. Today it’s a unit of consumption. I keep trying to imagine what it would look like for a household to be a producer. I think it would have to be a household not of a nuclear family or a couple but of an extended family because of the amt of work involved; but beyond that, what does it mean? Must we all have chickens? Hunt or fish? Make our own clothes?

By: Jennifer

Jennifer — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 19:04:50 +0000

Year-over-year my little family’s combined income is down more than 65% (even though we’re at the same jobs doing the same work in more hours) so for most of 2009 we did not buy anything except food & gas & water & the like. Here’s my conclusion, at the end of an unsolicited buy-nothing year:

* we bought a lot less
* we did without
* what we did buy was high quality, durable and really did make a difference in our lives (good cookware, for example)
* we networked more — buying a new-to-him bike for my 7yo from a neighbor, for example

We already made extensive use of public things, like concerts in the park & libraries, so that didn’t change. We did not make very much ourselves. I didn’t feel like I had the time. If our income continues at that level, however, I’m definitely learning to sew and also to refinish furniture! Actually I think I’ll learn to refinish our furniture anyway.

By: Charlotte

Charlotte — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 19:02:17 +0000

I’ve been absolutely fascinated by the news out of Detroit — artists buying houses for almost nothing, fixing them up, building neighborhoods and gardens and even, in one case building a solar electric system to power a small neighborhood. People are opening businesses because it’s cheap to do so, and apparently there’s some redevelopment credit. It’s not that we lack creativity as a nation, it just seems that we’re so hobbled by this erroneous burning desire to “go back to how it was.”
And Carroll — the dismantling of the once-great California public education system is a tragedy. I remember telling my students at Davis in the 90s, when fees were going up, to stop yelling at me and go home and ask their parents if they’d voted for Prop. 13. I think the implosion of California is going to be one of those historic train wrecks that we’ll all look back on and ask “how could we let that happen?”

By: Carroll

Carroll — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 22:50:02 +0000

Well I loved what I did, and I’ve managed to carve out a bit of a niche that allows me to continue to love what I do. As a victim of the current budget crisis in California, specifically that bit of red ink which has so drastically affected Education at all levels, my cozy little job at our local community college where I advised, assisted, supported, mentored and made many friends with students who were writing transfer application essays to 4-year universities, is long-gone. With experience from my years at Stanford, which included a stint on the Admissions Committee for their Graduate School of Business, and also running the Rhodes and Marshall Scholarship application process, I will (not very modestly) admit that I’m pretty good at what I’ve been doing. So, by means of conducting a couple of application essay workshops to get my name known by the current crop of students, and also by trolling the writing gigs on Craig’s List, I’ve gone out on my own, and ended up getting paid a bit more for a bit less of my time than I would have been making on the payroll anyway. Downside, is that I rarely meet any of my “clients” face-to-face now. Upside is that many of the ones I’ve worked with in the past are now coming back to find me for help on grad school application essays. HUGE downside is that I cringe at having to charge even a steeply discounted rate directly to students who, I firmly believe, should have access to this assistance as a part of basic student services. So, that’s the “livelihood” part of your answer, Charlotte. I’ll be back anon to chime in on the “lifestyle” segment

By: Heather

Heather — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 22:05:19 +0000

I like it. I lived in Michigan before moving to Alaska, and I’ve been intrigued by the idea that hard-hit places like Michigan have the potential to be the leaders in sustainable recovery. Not just getting things back to “the way it used to be,” but something new, something like what Bill McKibben talks about in Deep Economy.