1. Project report title: Project One: The Origin Story

2. Summarize how and why you organized this Project Output as presented (Reflect on your design, process, method and purpose):  I first wrote up my life review as the first step, and then assessed needs that I had from there (articulating goals, figuring out my skills, seeing what patterns are most useful) and made mind maps by hand. I also wrote up a lot of things, like the index and this review process, directly on WordPress.

3. How did this process go? Holy greg! Well, it was definitely chaotic. From the time I started the project until now, I’ve changed countries, driven from Pennsylvania to North New York and back several times, taken a Training of Trainers course, attended a 5 Day Herbal Intensive at the Maine Primitive Skills School, volunteered at a local farm, maintained a job on Saturdays as a rental property caretaker, and attended a National Occupation in Philadelphia for a visioneering process. So.. it’s been hectic. Actually I’m impressed with how much I managed to get done. It was definitely an erratic process, groping in the dark, half looking at diploma guidelines but not getting much explained to me. Mostly it was about getting this website up and running and presentable.

4. What did you learn? I learned I have a lot going on! And it’s going to be a challenge to fold in this idea of design to the non-stop action and engagement that I have going on. I learned I need more pictures on my website, and I learned nothing I do will be perfect. I learned that details are helpful. I learned that I really like making mind maps on paper. I learned that my “learning journal” is just the moleskine book(s) I’ve been keeping since I was 17, I’m about to finish book 38, and I’m a little uncomfortable sharing my most intimate journal on the internet and wouldn’t even know where to begin really, there’s so much here.

5. What tools did you use (An explanation of the technical side of creating this project report.  What software did you use? What digital literacy was required to put this together)? My mind maps were fun and enjoyable, and just took a big piece of paper, a sharpie and some highlighters. I used WordPress for my website, under the subdomain of my colleague Theron. WordPress is pretty simple, but it took some time to navigate the creation of menus, pages, posts, categories, etc. I’m still getting the hang of it. I’ve also started to use SEO software and that’s pretty awesome. Again, still getting the hang of it, and learning to accept things as not perfect.

6. Did you find any people or tutorials particularly useful in creating this project report? In the final bringing together of all the elements, I searched around for others doing a permaculture diploma and found it very useful to see what others are doing. Also the peer check-ins with Chow and Theron were nice just to have support and motivation to do a good job.

7. How much time did you spend in creating this project report? Wow I really have no idea. At least 30 hours.

8. How well have did you showcase your learnings in this project report? Would you consider this project report satisfactory if it was prepared by another person? My strongest point is definitely the mind maps. I found it challenged to disseminate information, this has definitely been a challenge of mine, I know what I’m talking about, but how do I explain that to you.

9.    Any final reflections on your pathway integration and development? Though it’s challenging, I’m finding a lot of value in this process and it’s helping me focus, and also share this mysterious mission I’ve been on since graduating college. I’m excited to jump onto Project Two!!!

Permaculture CV

The two questions cut off at the bottom are “What do I want to contribute?” and “What am I going to do about it?” Followed by this website: brightsky.eco-pioneers.org

This Action Learning Pathway was an exercise that really challenged my whirlwind lifestyle. Anyone who knows me knows I’m constantly on the go, from coast to coast, and occasionally overseas. While I have general migration patterns, there are also plenty of spontaneous missions in between.

Coming back to the United States with permaculture on the brain made me wonder how to fold in the ethics and principles with my superhero-esque lifestyle. Throughout this Project 1 it’s been a cobble of figuring out how to meet the standard criteria set by the British Permaculture Association, which offers this diploma in Applied Permaculture Design, and how to continue growing in love and service.

I have now committed to these substantial 10-week chunks of time to produce detailed, quality projects to sharpen my skill as a designer and as a productive member of the permaculture network. I’ve also learned my preferred role in a group is that of supporter. I enjoy being able to jump into a project, and morph to whatever the needs of the project are.

My primary challenge was the unknown of where I’m going to be over the next two years. There are a LOT of variables.

My solution was to design themes of projects 2,3 and 4. When I’m not sure where I’ll be, I can fit these themes wherever I am. Project 2 was inspired by my smashing success with We The Trees in funding the repair of my bike for the superhero bike tour. Project 3 involves working with the Food is Free Project to learn how to build wicking beds out of recycled materials. Hopefully this knowledge will support later projects. Project 4 is delving into my blossoming enthusiasm for teaching.

Projects 5, 6, and 7 will be done in Chestertown, NY, where my mother’s side of the family originally comes from. I’ve spent the last three summers in Chestertown  and plan to spend summer 2013 supporting its initiative as a transition town. This year Chestertown launched its own farmer’s market, and I’ve just met some folks who have production gardens all over the area. I’m definitely looking forward to working with them. Project 8 is the 10 weeks leading up to my 26th birthday, when my health insurance runs out. Project 8 is dedicated to finding an alternate method of coverage, which may mean finding a “real job” or some other creative way of making sure if I get sick, I’ll have a way to heal that won’t put me in debt.

Projects 9 and 10 I’m leaving up to the mystery. I think they will rely heavily on what happens in Project 8, whether I get a job or go back to Asia or … I’ve had this idea in my mind that I’ll be in Brazil for 2014…

Here are my attempts to directly answer Richard Perkins’ essential questions, after completing my Life Review assignment.

The story of my life is embedded in the cultural context of suburban America, a distillation of the once distinct Irish Catholic ethnic that peppers the stories of my ancestors.

I remember my mother telling us to stay out of the woods. There were ticks. And homeless people. I relished any time spent in nature, and was always looking for ways to get into the trees and the pond and the rivers. Spending time in the Adirondacks with my extended family, I could finally be in the woods without worrying. Our annual walk to the cave was a highlight in my year.

I was raised Catholic. My parents subscribed until we outgrew Sunday school, which I believe was mostly under pressure from my grandmother. I went every Sunday and I believed in God because I talked to a power greater than myself whenever I got sick or felt bad. I began to reject the stricter conventional notions of religion as I got older. I have since to respect the great force that moves through us all, and am wholly convinced of the divine nature of existence. I am still looking for was to broaden and deepen my own spiritual practice.

I have a crooked spine, but other than that, no longterm health problems, no allergies, I broke a few bones as a kid but I’ve mostly been healthy and energetic. Once in a while I get mysterious pains or am suddenly stricken with a dis-ease, but I’ve come to suspect that has less to do with my body than my mind. And it’s a humbling reminder that so many live with discomfort in their everyday lives, I’m so grateful to have an abundance of energy and wellness. I don’t even need coffee in the morning.

My parents started off as average middle class, and through decades of dedication to The Company, my parents are now in the top % of wage earners in this country. I’ve pretty much always had everything I needed, or at least that’s my impression. And this might sound insensitive and bold, but I am a pretty white female, so I don’t come across discrimination directed at me very often. I remember attending the Vagina Monologues in college, which finally helped me put being a woman into proper perspective, and that was an attitude of pride, not inadequency.

I told my story, without prompting, as a series of events that I hadn’t even considered the context, other than the astrological one. I am a child of the 1%. I am privileged. I have never been abused and the only once was in a situation in college that could have turned very ugly, but didn’t.

I was homeschooled, and lately I have a suspicion that this has placed me outside of many cultural norms. The people I grew up alongside were shapeshifters and lady knights, superheroes and gods and goddesses, flawed and beautiful people with strong voices that carried over centuries. Most of my best friends were in my head from pages and pages and chapters and volumes of reading.

When you ask about the most meaningful or valuable experience in life, the first things that comes to mind was my time with the Ojibwe. Not only did they shatter my expectations of indigenous life on this continent (and by extension, other continents), but they showed me the true essence of a culture built on the foundations of respect for environment, community, and self. Sweating in a lodge knocked me to the most core of my being, of humility, sadness, and a desperate passion to be alive.

It was with these values attached to my core that I have gone on these adventures through Texas and California and Thailand, partially for curiosity, partially for the mission of making life better for everyone in general. I have done everything I have ever done out of love, in some form or another.

I learned myself, and I unlearn myself. My homeschool experience taught me to be self-taught. And so I am. So I teach myself. And I unteach myself. And the cycle continues.

The pattern in the learning / unlearning is through my travels. Space affects how I think of things. So when I travel, it is a new reflection upon an old pattern. And when I return to a place after having traveled other places, through awareness I can see the differences and similarities to the me that was there previously.

The biggest, silliest pattern I’ve made to get me where I am today is usually wherever I go, I am following the impression of blossoming that seems to happen when I fall in love. The choices don’t necessarily lead me to being with my figure of affection, romantically or otherwise, but I am inspired by the essence of that person, which shapes me to make the choices I do, to move to a farm or to Texas or to pick up a ukelele.

My life is unfolding to my satisfaction because I feel relieved that I finally have something of value to offer to my community and the people around me. I have skills, insight, curiosity, energy, creativity, and joy.

Potentially some of the next best career directions will be in teaching. It seems like there is a need and an interest in living more holistic, fulfilling lives and I have several areas that I feel might enrich many folks’ daily paradigm were they to be made aware of the frame.

The sacred question that I live by is How? The Why reveals something about the asker, but the How reveals a truth in the universal truth of cycles. How can I make myself a better role model? How can I best contribute to my community? How am I living my ideals?