19 Comments
User's avatar
The Radical Individualist's avatar

We have a rotary phone that we keep active just for the nostalgia. Watching teenagers try to figure out how to use it is very amusing.

Expand full comment
Debby's avatar

I remember watching my son poke his fingers into the holes. I was amused but terrified. So much of the past lost.

Expand full comment
Quill Cross's avatar

Great piece of writing, TT. I recognize those lessons and revelations. They are boon companions now.

Expand full comment
Sharon Beautiful Evening's avatar

Some hard truths are shared in this blog, Jayson - may we all learn to only trust in Jehovah Jireh! All else is "sinking sand".

His hope, joy and peace abound to you and yours!

Expand full comment
Clyde's avatar

As an economically challenged individual, I find myself more and more deleted from the conversation by a system of locks. How can I "Upgrade" to paid when I don't even generate enough money to meet daily needs? I could seriously use an upgrade to being paid myself, but that is never an option for those who have fallen out of favor of the ruling psychopaths.

Expand full comment
Nancy's avatar

You talk about things in a big picture. I understand but I need actionable items day to day or weekly to dig myself out of the dependency. I think that each day, we make a conscious decision to learn something, reconnect with someone etc. We need a systematic way out, lesson plan for the one learning to "swim" again in the real world.

I am trying different things. I connect with real people, step out to talk to strangers to hear about the world from a real person. I plan to learn something that makes me less dependent on Uber whether it is to learn to drive, to cook a new food item, to learn to make kim chi from scratch instead of buying it made.

My problem is how to do these things quicker and systematically to be more effective. I don't have time to waste. Any practical suggestions for a city dweller with family needs?

Expand full comment
TriTorch's avatar

Excellent Nancy!

Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.

Here are a bunch of crowdsourced solutions, please give them a read and you may find what you are looking for:

https://tritorch.com/united/#solutions

Expand full comment
Nancy's avatar

Thank you.

Lots ideas here.

What do you see is hierarchy of needs? Where are priorities of skills to learn? I'm a city dweller. I have a home garden but it is not big producer. Dependent on water from city. Starting a rotating composter. Planning to go back to making kombucha and kefir and yogurt soon when I get the starters from a local contact. Planning to re-learn canning and efficient food storage from the harvest in September. I'm all over the place. Need to focus.... so help???

Expand full comment
Diane's avatar

https://tritorch.com/united/#solutions links to a suspended page. -???

Expand full comment
Runemasque's avatar

I would start looking for accessible real people around you who are further on their way and learn from what they are doing. I know I learn really well through the gestalt of getting to see an entire functioning system and it's rhythms. Piecemeal is step by step, doable, and can be enjoyable, but a full system makes its own sense.

Expand full comment
Ned B.'s avatar

Which came first, the chicken or the egg, the can opener or the can, the bullet or the gun?

Expand full comment
TriTorch's avatar

The hunger or the food?

Expand full comment
The Word Herder's avatar

The dog or the fleas?

Ha. Great post!

Expand full comment
MadChimp's avatar

All of my Dad's witty little quips come home to roost - -

"I can give you (and my six siblings) food, clothing, knowledge of God, and a roof over your head. If you want more than that, you will have to work for it - - and prepare to provide the same for YOUR children"

"As a country, we are broke, and we don't even know it." (Circa 1960)

"It will not get better until it gets much, much worse. Pain is the only reliable motivator" (Words of a Great World Depression survivor)

- And now Dad is gone, and I get to practice MY philosophy on children & grandchildren - -

Consider: You have never been very hungry for very long, which affords you the luxury of time to contemplating your existence. You will find peace of mind is the only worthwhile goal, and the only goal completely within your control. It is an inward journey, greatly helped by 1. A sense of humor, and 2. Humility. You are, after all (as we all are) just one little primate, raging against the machine.

Expand full comment
TriTorch's avatar

Your Dad was wise!

Expand full comment
TriTorch's avatar

As are you MC.

Expand full comment
MadChimp's avatar

TY

Expand full comment
Ray Knew's avatar

On the grasshoppers eating thing... there is a reason. They only eat dead food. Brix levels https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=bnNOvA3diDU

Expand full comment
Mark R. Elsis's avatar

Excellent.

I will publish, perhaps on Sunday.

Mark

Expand full comment