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Take the hedgeless_horseman challenge.
I challenge you to attempt each of the following accomplishments before the end of October.
- Write your congressional representative a one-page letter about a recent bill he or she voted on, telling him or her how you feel, what you need from him or her, and asking for a response.
- Write both of your senators one-page letters about a recent bill they voted on, telling them how you feel, what you need from him or her, and asking for a response.
- Call your sheriff and have a brief conversation about his or her opinion on an issue of your selection. Send the sheriff a letter stating whether you are satisfied with his or her response, and thanking him or her for taking the time to talk with you on the phone.
- Read The Constitution and Bill of Rights.
- Visit a coin dealer and buy any amount of silver or gold using Federal Reserve Notes.
- Take someone to a gun show.
- Call your credit card company, ask them what interest rate you are paying, then cancel the credit card account.
- Visit your bank and ask a banker what the interest rate is you are getting on an account, and then close the account.
- Donate your time, talent, or treasure to a charity within five miles of your home.
- Take someone dancing to live music.
- Prepare some food and bring it to a neighbor that is not a relation.
- Walk, run, bicycle, skate, ski, or ride a horse around your neighborhood on three different days.
- Try to grow something edible.
- Stop drinking anything containing high fructose corn syrup.
- Attend an open AA meeting.
- Sharpen your knives.
- Check out a book from your local library and read it. Here are some ideas. Sit cross-legged while you read.
- Get a one-hour professional massage.
- Recycle, reuse, or repair something you normally put in the garbage.
- Make a list of at least ten things for which you are grateful and put it on your mirror.
- Find the prettiest place in your city, town, or county; go there and eat a picnic lunch.
- Give away your television(s) and replace with artwork.
I will post a follow-up to this in one month where we can discuss our experiences.
Peace.
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10/7
This past weekend I repaired the water faucet in the barn's milking stall, and milked our family cow both days, having to fight the baby bull by her side for every ounce. Someday he will make some nice grass-fed beef for our dinner table.
9/4
Mrs. Horseman and I attended an open AA meeting tonight and heard an amazing speaker. He talked about the Oxford Group, a predecessor of AA, and the importance of morning meditation.
AA is a cult. It teaches that you can never be free from your addictions, you will always be an addict, and in fact encourages one to spend a lifetime in fear of a sudden relapse.
It maybe a cult. So? Do you know of a more effective solution that is broadly available to any alcoholic?
Did you gain this insight by attending an open meeting?
I know some addicts and alcoholics that are not in AA, and they still clearly feel that they can never be free from their addictions, will likely always be an addict,
and spend their lifetimes drunk, high, or trying to get drunk or high.
Is it possible that those are very common characteristics of all addicts?
10/5
We opened our home, and provided the food, for a local charity to meet.
HH, I have attended many open meetings. I am intimate with the nature of addictions, having decades of firsthand experience with the massive destructive powers they can unleash, both in others and myself. AA is a fine place to start for many, however most will not experience full recovery in that setting, especially if their "higher power" never amounts to anything more than a coffee cup or other such counterfeit nonsense. There are many faith based recovery groups that are widely available to those who are suffering, that can provide the tools necessary for a complete recovery and a life of freedom from addictions. An addiction is merely a visible symptom of an underlying issue. I am deeply saddened when I see someone in AA get their twenty year chip, yet are still living daily in great fear of falling back into the depths of depravity.
10/3/13
Today, I stopped drinking tonic water, which I learned has HFCS in it.
I came up with 10 items and printed my gratitude list.
We haven't had a television for many years.
I suggest every one of these letters end in "don't send me to GITMO or drone-strike me just for speaking up for my country and my rights"
Hedgeless Horseman -
A few things to add to your list:
We can take go around the Federal Reserve's back and regain our monetary system ourselves.
One on my list, get a ham radio license and radio
A nice list, but writing CONgress is woefully inadequate these days.
Here IS the only civil way to take over DC.
YOu must join your local Republican party as a precinct committeeman. You show up, and you are in as half the positions go unfilled nationwide.
You can become a delegate. This is where true DC power lies, that is why you never hear about it. DC only wants your money and your vote, they want to control the primary process.
This is the way we can recruit and install TRUE limited govt patriots in a HURRY.
http://precinctproject.us/
Starting a 3rd party is impossible at best these days, better off takign over an existing infrastructure. Hey, we can rename it down the line. HOw long would it take you to start a new company doing business in every state, city, and county? yeah...it takes a long time. Same with starting a new party.
Take 10 minutes of your life to review the strategy.
"Write your congressional representative a one-page letter about a recent bill he or she voted on, telling him or her how you feel, what you need from him or her, and asking for a response.
Write both of your senators one-page letters about a recent bill they voted on, telling them how you feel, what you need from him or her, and asking for a response.
Call your sheriff and have a brief conversation about his or her opinion on an issue of your selection. "
Very Bad Suggestions! Anything you say will be used against you and you will end up on a terrorist watch list, banning you from flying, purchasing firearms, fines, or getting lengthly tax audits. The only people incombents will listen too is people writing big fat checks for campaign contributions or by sending money to friends and family of incombents.
"You must join your local Republican party as a precinct committeeman."
Sorry, don't mean to be rude: Absolutely Worthless since the GOP is now part of the problem! Lots of people with sound minds try to run for office under the GOP, but never get on the ticket, even if they lead in the primaries (ie Peter Schiff who ran for US Senate loss to Linda Mcmahon, Wife of WWF Vince Mcmahon). When you look up a Cronism you see a picture of Linda Mcmahon there. The GOP is now only promoting Big-Gov't candidates, just using slightly different language than the DNC to differentiate themselves. The only GOP candidate on the right track is Rand Paul, unfortunately, Even former moderates like Paul Ryan have gone off the deep end. Sorry for the Rant.
The only real useful approach is what Hedgless does not say in this article, but practices it himself: Prepare for the collapse by becoming self-reliant. Especially for basic needs like food, shelter and security.
If you want to really help change, then go Galt or do as little as you can to support the system. The less labor productive workers do, the less money goes to washington. The money we send to Washington, supports their movement to remove our liberties and reward those living off the Gov't dole.
You don't get it. Joining the local precinct is to transform the GOP, not follow along to the DC establishment. Precinct captains and delegates determine the makeup of the party.
Why doesn't the GOP EVER tell you about getting involved? They just want your vote and money.
The reason is because the party is vulnerable to a takeover thru the precinct captain and delegate structure.
It really wouldn't take many people to do it either. There are approximately 400,000 precinct slots and only half are filled.
Just showing up is 90% of success in life. It's that simple.
hedgeless,
don't mind me while i hi-jack your theme. as i was reading along, i felt the urging of some invisible force...it did thus invest me with some things most serious in their sagaciousness -- Truths of essence and form were in me imbued; and i expect you'd all like to know about them; and what is more, not so sharing would be some kinda sin.
but before i begin with the list-making, a little introduction and warning from q tarrantino -- delivered masterfully by the one and only charlie sheen...oops, i mean samuel jackson; i'm forever confusing the two of them (oh, don't bother, i know what you're thinking...janus, you're just a no-account bigot; 'they' all look the same to you).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3PeyiU3uWJ8
1) challenge a muscle-head to a thumb-wrestling match...they're like crocodiles, they only have closing strength...it'll be a cinch if you just focus.
2) tell a complete stranger that you've had a testiclectomy (though i'm unsure if that's the 'scientific' term for the procedure), and don't wait for an invitation in the telling...just come right out with it. see if they react with empathy or cautious alarm -- then you'll know what kind of person you're dealing with. {note: if you want to class-up shenanigans, you should first create a blog in which you explore the triumphs and travails one would likely exprerience in the aftermath of a testiclectomy. so that, if they do choose to respond with cautious alarm, you can direct them to your blog...and you can therefore shame them as you explain that you are 'spreading awareness' for your 'cause'. note #2: you should probably print up some buinsess cards, too; as cautious-alarm (and possibly worse) is inevitable}
3) catch and eat your own meat. now, as regards this particular enterprise, i'm inclined to endorse shellfish as suitable game. the thing of it is, most of them do not move at all; and those that do scurry about do so ever-so slowly -- and here's the best part: shellfish that are abulatory are also astonishingly stupid -- they will fall for the lamest and least complex of trapping devices. look, if you wanna get all suited up first thing in the morning, stalk miles through dew-damped woods, get harrassed by a bunch of ill-tempered squirrls, sit perfectly still in some rickety stand, scent your surroundings with the 'musk' of a stag, only to freeze your ass off while you wait-wait-wait...well, be my fuckin guest. groovy tunes do not influence the behavior of an oyster one way or the other.
4) make change for a five directly out of the starbuck's conter tip-jar. if you're going to tip, do that first; and then, without asking permission, slip in a five and pull out the same number of singles. this will arouse no small measure of suspicion from the snooty-set there gathered. fret not, the video with exonerate you completely.
5) ask the person before you in line to 'pay it forward'. of the many problems blighting humanity, our insistance on volentary charity is among the most noxious. be the change agent.
6) ask, 'what are you looking at' of the next six people with whom you secure eye contact. but at each asking, go about it with a different tone. you can come-off demanding; curious; freightened...play with it -- you know, be creative.
7) look at your wife, girlfriend or loved one with wild-eyed wonderment and tell them that something's happened that will change your lives forever...and then drift off to another prosaic subject. if they attempt to return you to the something that's happened, continue trailing off on ever-meaningless tangents; until at last, you admit you've forgotten what it was.
8) do fifty push-ups.
9) fix the clog in the drain and don't take the credit...just insist that it resolved itself.
10) watch the following clip:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2yfXgu37iyI
terrifying and simple to understand/
credible and convincing...,
janus
I think the first step is dispose of the TV. The rest are much easier to do after that.
This all makes sense, except for the idea about attending an AA meeting....
Are you tring to say something about ZH readers, or is there some metaphysical reason for going to AA even if you are not an alcoholic?
As I understood it (which means my own "insights" applying potentially incorrect interpretations to another man's words), the point is to better understand the all too human weakness of addiction. Doesn't have to be alcohol and an AA meeting as any opportunity to listen to an addict, current, former, or working to break it, discuss the reality of addiction will do.
It's important to understand addiction and the addicted mindset for several reasons. One is that the junkie will always try to screw you to service their addiction, often in complex ways, so learn to recognise it and avoid it, particularly in those close to you or able to impact you materially in some way (Wall St is full of junkies addicted to money, DC is full of junkies addicted to power, etc).
Another is that junkies are human too and while they may become enemies, hating them and targeting them is not the best solution or defence. The key is to break the addiction, best done if the addict can be turned to see the addiction themselves, see the harm in it and want to break it (again, next to impossible for the Wall St money junkies, they are mostly lost).
Finally, most importantly of all, learn to see the mirror in the confessions of a junkie reflecting the addictions in yourself. Despite what the in-crowd currently says (it never admits its own addictions), none of us has any place looking down on an out-crowd junkie because we're all junkies too, the only difference is the chosen method of obtaining a fix. I'm not talking metaphorically, I mean truly, scientifically, chemically, we are all junkies addicted to the neurotransmitter dopamine (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dopamine) and it guides our behaviours. (Incidentally, the reason why the "War in Drugs" is so pointless see: http://cloudfront-assets.reason.com/assets/mc/mriggs/2012_10/40Years0fDr... ).
Appreciating the chemical flaw in our natures forces a maturation of tactics. Fighting is futile against junkies. Persuasion / treatment is the key, convincing them that another method of fix is better than theirs. Bear in mind that they're convinced they are fine and right just as much as you are and that maybe, just maybe, it might be you who has more to learn or, more likely, that both parties have something to learn from the other.
Are you trying to say something about ZH readers, or is there some metaphysical reason for going to AA even if you are not an alcoholic?
Those are not mutually exclusive concepts, but one will find that alcoholism has but a small correlation to booze itself. Therein lies the reward to attendance.
There are many metaphysical reasons for experiencing an AA meeting, even if you are not an alcoholic.
I've already done most of those things in the last two weeks. Writing what I laughingly call "My" representavies at least once a day -- a feel good opportunity.
I got a shock when I read the item that started with "Stop Drinking" but cooled off as I read the rest of the sentence!
I am hunting some vegetarian critters later today out in the woods. They are delicious and not a thing is wasted, except maybe five of six rows of corn they have decimated during this summer in a 30 acre corn field. At 4.50 a bushel times 140 bu. per acre, hmm,,, pricey meat at that. Nothing against all you veggie tales lovers as I love them too.
I can usually bag a few as they come out of Whole Foods.
Even better, love your body and your fellow living beings, and go as vegetarian as you can.
It will require effort and determination, and yes, I miss my crackling, but apart from that, a good wife and home cooking, and you are a for away. And when the time comes to stand up for your life, I think you have a good story to tell.;-) Oh, and your heart will thank you as well, from the bottom of it's, well, heart!
I agree with this. If you can, eat 10% of calories from animal products, 90% from plant sources.
Having credit cards is fine, just don't abuse them. Pay the balance off, monthly.
Having bank accounts is fine, just don't keep much capital there.
Buying metals is okay, as long as you don't care what "they" do to the price.
As far as writing "representatives" it, like voting, is more of a suggestion-box activity. You might get a form letter in return.
Otherwise, agree. :) Oh, and if you can't manage to grow your own food, get it from a CSA (community supported agriculture). It's local and organic.
With the banking thing, I'm mainly concerned about the "where" vs. the "what", as long as your cash is outside the TBTF orbit (local credit union or locally owned bank), you're already doing great. Minimizing or eliminating debt are also good goals, but I know a lot of people right now that do not have a reasonably plausible way to keep away from using debt instruments.
I'd add...
Don't buy any processed foods
Buy meat from your local butcher, or better yet, try your hand at hunting/fishing
Learn how to can your own food.
I'm up to 30lbs of beans, 200 lbs of tomatoes and 3 bushels of corn.
Pro tip: go to estate sales and collect mason jars for cheap.
If it's ok to add to HH's (great) list might I add the following humble suggestion...
Learn to play a musical instrument.
It needn't be expensive and may well provide years...nay...perhaps a lifetime of challenge and enjoyment.
(Do this right after throwing away the TV and you'll likely *never* miss it...I certainly don't.)
Nice list, of which I do several already. Still think 1 and 2 are a waste of time, and 3 could get one arrested IMHO these days, depending where you live.
I'm drinking more water....cuz apparently I'm too stupid to recognize thirst....like most muricans... according to Michelle.
and she's right...not everything she does is wrong...for example, the white house garden.
I use water with my Scotch, does that count?
Watering down Scotch is like breast reduction surgery...it's just plain wrong!
Some scotch brands need watering... some breasts need reduction. Quantity ain't always quality.
Only at an AA meeting
Only at an AA meeting
y try
- Do business with a local farmer.
- Brew your own beer, invite neighbors over to help.
- Give a niece/nephew silver coin for birthday instead of a check.
corrollary:
- grow your own hops & barley/rye
- invite neighbors who know how to brew beer over for a homegrown homebrew session
- trade the FeRNs you used for beer money for shiny silver instead
"Try to grow something edible."
Got that one covered (thank God for pot brownies)!
Don't forget the incredible health benefits of juicing cannabis as well!
Shit - I almost read item 14 as "stop drinking."
AA? Don't get that. Credit card co? I don't pay any interest because I pay it off every month. In fact they pay me in cash rewards. That's my way of screwing the big banks.
Credit cards can pay you 'rewards' each month because they charge the business a merchant fee for the processing service provided them. And those businesses who accept credit cards pay more in those merchant fee when you use a premium card than if you used a regular card or a debit card. The high end reward cards will cost the business up to 3% of the sale total to accept while a debit card will be no more than .5%.
If you really want to screw the bank, pay in cash or barter with the merchant. Many will give you a discount that is better than the 1% you get in so-called rewards. As a bonus, the IRS might take a haircut, too.
"Credit card co? I don't pay any interest because I pay it off every month. In fact they pay me in cash rewards"
You do realize you're "selling them" your monthly list of what you've bought where?
Yes, I realize that. But so do all the stores with your store discount card. All I know is I cashed $269 in checks last month from credit cards and have anothe $170 already now. That's nothing to sneeze at and I pay zero fees and zero interest.
+1 This is the primary reason why it's been a decade since I've used a credit card.
I hear you.
For both the CC and the AA items, as well as others on this list, it is experiencing the process that counts, not just for you, but for those with whom you are interacting. Give it a try. The open AA meeting is only one hour, and you can always open another cc account, probably with better rewards.
Excellent ideas, all of them, HH, and the book list in your link is very good, as well. Strunk & White TEOS belongs on everyone's bookshelf. I'll have to see how many of those challenges I can meet.