Kick in the pants!
Published Monday, July 21, 2008
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To the editor:
We finally got that kick in the pants. No matter who is at fault for oil prices, food costs or climate change, the time finally came for us to wake up and do some attitude adjustments; even myself.
I found myself without work for a short time and even had to collect unemployment the first time in 40 years. I soon realized the big jobs are gone and I ended up taking two part-time jobs instead of one full. We now plan our trips to town instead of on whims.
We also adjusted the amount of food we eat.
You know what? We’ve found it was steps we should of been taking in the first place.
We all need to take lessons from our pioneers. They didn’t always have McDonald’s for fast food. Their idea of fast food was chasing the deer or rabbits. They also didn’t have oil. When they found they didn’t have wood, they used cow chips. They also didn’t have the medical care we have now. They used natural methods.
So come on folks, let’s be a little more like our ancestors, quit our griping and use some ingenuity. It is refreshing to see folks come up with new ways to do things. Why don’t we share some of our ideas instead of waiting for the government to do it for us.
Community Discussion
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Here's two ideas for winterization. Most homes have several entry doors. Seal all except one with aluminum foil tape in the winter. It comes in 4 inch wide rolls and still allows the door to be opened in an emergency while providing an air tight seal. If you have an attic access panel in the ceiling, take one sheet of styrofoam board and make a box cover for it that fits over the entire access door.
We don't need to be bound by conservation, we are Americans. We need to demand the best representation and the best those representatives can provide. VOTE!
Quoting "They also didn’t have the medical care we have now. They used natural methods."
They also had a life expentancy of around 40 years and up to 25% of women died in child birth.
Our ancestors only did the same thing we do, they adapted to changing circumstances in the best ways they could imagine. Their lesson seems pretty obvious - do the best you can, use your brain, and persevere.
Swanny
OH great SWANNY- common sense is not common, didnt you know?
I think you missed the point, swanny. The author wasn't saying to go back to those old ways. The author was saying "So come on folks, let’s be a little more like our ancestors, quit our griping and use some ingenuity."
I know you said "Our ancestors only did the same thing we do, they adapted to changing circumstances in the best ways they could imagine." If you read these boards a bit, adapting to change is one of the last things most posters will do. If something needs to be done about a topic, step 1 is whining about it.
Our ancestors didn't have credit cards. Alaska has one of the highest credit card debts in the nation. Saw one woman go through four cards before she found one that she could actually use. A big step forward could be to stop using these cards and spend the money you actually have. How much more per gallon of gas and oil are you paying when you buy it on credit?
Well, Pam, I live in Two Rivers too, and apparently unlike you, I have been practicing these "new" ideas, and more, for many years.
Next idea please?
Corinne,
You have no idea how me and my husband have been living. We've always practiced living within our means and not over spending. My letter is just pointing out that we all needed to take a step back from the runaway locomotive we've all been on.
Pamela-
You are correct, I have no idea how you live. I only have to go by what you wrote...
Mostly the second paragraph and the following two lines.
No need to be snippy now. Geez.
I had the good fortune to grow up around my grandparents, who had a subsistence ranch. We grew most of our food, to include some orcharding, beef, and chicken. We traded eggs for goats milk and meat from our neighbors. We dried, froze, and canned to fill our larders. We hunted, did most of our butchering, and cut each others' hair, made our own quilts and mended our clothes. My grandparents were Depression-era people who have given me and my brothers a great gift with our lifestyle.
I've dug out my canning gear and dryer once again, esp with there being an injured family member in my home, hence a greatly reduced income for now. It'll be tight, but certainly not impossible. We live pretty modestly.
These are a few skills that folks out in the villages especially need to turn to, in addition to taking another look at how our folks got by in the past without a lot of cash. There are several resources out there, to include the mostly free, cheap, or downloadable publications from our cooperative extension, which I deem to be a highly underused resource in our home lives.
Happy reading; may it inspire your own ingenuity.
http://www.alaska.edu/uaf/ces/
corinne.....bad day, huh?
alaskastoryteller.....thanks for reminding us that we should all be doing just a little bit more to conserve not only our natural resources but save for the rainy days ahead!
If the Quakers or Amish ever got newspapers to read they would be laughing at us now! When my fuel bill takes my last cash dollar I don't know if I will give up my cable T.V., cell phone or pets to make ends meet. How perplexing! !
After my 3 stay in ICU with my heart I have readjusted my diet and found it also saved me money. Coming to terms with it and diabetes it was easy to find my husband and I were eating way too much and it wasn't healthy food either.
I not saying to become a vegetarian, but you can cut down on the amount you eat. If you cut each of your portions of meat, vegetables and that piece of pie you not only save on your grocery bill but you also lose weight at the same time.
I'm able now to cut down how much collesterol and insulin medicine I had to take in the past, thus also saving in medical bills.
Another way we can help each other out would be since some of us have to go to town everyday anyway ask your neighbor if they have to go or if you can pick something up at the store for them.
thewayiseeit, I haven't had TV in 20 years and don't miss it at all. Instead of TV I read, research stuff on internet or do a craft.
Old newspaper makes good shelf liners (the ink works as a good deterent for bugs) and bird cage liner.
My family in lower 48 and I have set up our own chat room so we save on phone bills and can talk to everyone at same time. Hook up a web cam and walla instant family reunion. Just make sure you put your false teeth in so your brothers don't laugh at you.
Well, my hubby & I have been practicing no waste for years. Our friends have laughed at us because we save/ reuse /recycle everything. We plan our trips to town, we cut our own wood, make our own bread, have a big greenhouse. We do not live beyond our means. So now what? We are being hit hard because of the increased costs. We are both educated, he works, I am unable to work after 30 years due to medical concerns. We use the co-op information. We turn lights off as we leave a room and unplug things not in use. We may eat out once every few months (a hotdog at Sam's). We eat well because we shop sales, use coupons, and make full use of our freezer & greenhouse. We are both diabetics so we have to watch what we consume. I'm not sure there are places we can cut back. We are happy and have what we need but we do not have excess. We just wish our kids would take notice!!!
Are the people who practice smart living willing to teach or share others so that we can all save?
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