The Education of Axel Heyst

[AxelHeyst]

It doesn't give you the caffeine buzz but does give you a natural energy boost. I might cut down to one cup as well as the second coffee always gives rapidly diminishing returns.

I'm in the unprecedented position of seeking energy dampers/smoothers/calmers, not boosts! But I also do like the idea of adding some competence with tea to my skillset, and you're quite right it's a smoother burn when the boost is helpful.

[AxelHeyst]

I made an RSVP form for EREfest24, at the bottom of the landing page.
https://tylerjdisney.com/erefest

--

Latest update in energy levels: I now have to do vigorous exercise of some form every morning otherwise I go into Cooped Up Border Collie Mode in the afternoon. I'm even starting to do some trailruns...

[sodatrain]

@Axel - what is your current GTD setup? I think it's time for me to take my next attempt at implementing at least some of it. (I'm trying to make sure I'm spending my time doing things I want instead of just letting the day unfold and waste away... feeling like some structure would help).

Related... do you have some favorite GTD resources for one to re-acquaint themselves with GTD? I haven't really used it in about 10 years. Daily review, weekly review... check check. Next Actions, archive etc. check. Basically I'm feeling like a few daily reviews and a weekly review might do the trick.

I did try and search... but search terms need to be 4 characters minimum. And Ctrl-F on pages gets old quickly. I did go back to about 10 pages...

[AxelHeyst]

heh, yeah the board search function is... limited. what i do is type the forum url into seach and then the term i'm searching for. So searching (in google)

https://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com gtd

got me viewtopic.php?t=12606

See you there in a minute

[AxelHeyst]

I'm spinning up a side hustle. Actually, a guy contacted me out of the blue a few months ago and said 'your old tutorials on Revit MEP* are great. I'm running an online Revit MEP course/content platform. All you have to do is make stuff and send it to me and I'll get it posted and marketed etc. Want in?'

I hopped back in Revit for the first time since probably 2017 and was surprised to discover that I *really* liked it. (One theory is that you tend to like things you're really good at, and I'm really good at this stuff, so...)

It's conceivable that I could pursue this part time for a couple years and cross a FI threshold with a library of content still generating passive income. So I'm carving out time to work on this.

*Revit is like 3d CAD with a database plugged into the back of it. Almost all architects and engineers use it now to model, design, and document buildings.
--
Skillathon Permaculture study is going well. I'm halfway done processing the Mollison handbook and am working with the various analysis and design methods (observation, pattern from nature, needs and yields, zone and sector, map overlay, random assignment, etc). Also doing a lot of reading on the natural and precontact human history of my area, which is *fascinating*. California was really neat before, y'know...

Ran across the concept of prefigurative politics, which was one of those "oh there's a WORD for that, neat" moments. tldr is that prefigurative movements seeks to create the desired changes to society in situ, in pockets and niches and wherever they can, as a necessary precondition to widespread change. Contrast this to revolutionary strategy that assumes Step 1 is Overthrow the System. I'm pretty sure I ran across this while re-diving into Ted Trainer's stuff (ht Lemur for mentioning him on the SD call).

Making one video on skillathon per week was NOT working out for me. I'm now going to make one per month/skill.

[AxelHeyst]

I added an anonymous critical feedback button to my website. Bring it, internet.

(inspired by viewtopic.php?t=13056 )

[AxelHeyst]

Skillathon permaculture is going well. In addition to studying permaculture books, natural history, and processing weather data, I've started the master plan document and site plan drafts. I've scrounged up a rough process for creating the master plan and am iterating through it, getting familiar with each step.

I started a habit of identifying and learning about 3 native species per week. This past week I learned about yucca brevifolia (joshua trees), yucca moths (obligate pollinators of yuccas, which wasn't even a thing I knew existed), and mojave desert buckwheat which is everywhere here and has multiple medicinal uses. I want to learn the root powder laceration poultice.

I scheduled a noscreen day this week, and it was much needed. Between studying, processing notes, my side hustle, and it being cold and weathery round here lately, I've been spending a lot of time on the computer.

I discovered Canvas in Obsidian and whoa. I've now got the dashboard I've always dreamed of. I've got my life purpose/mission statement waterfalling through my 5yr vision, theme for 2024, quarterly strategy, weekly plan, and daily plans, on one side. On the other I've mapped my areas of focus and major projects (organized by theme) in rough order moving in the direction of my purpose statement.

A Canvas could also be used to sketch WoGs easily, although I haven't yet taken a crack at it. For anyone who is a visual thinker and tends to get lost in their digital systems, I highly recommend checking Canvas out.

I'm now something like 8 weeks in with no skipped workouts. I can tell a visual difference in body comp, I feel stronger, and my joints feel more held together. I do calisthenics 3x and ruck 2x. I am *loving* the rucking. This week I had one ruck predawn because I work up super early that day, and the other was right after our little snowfall with the sun coming through low cloud mantles and glowing up the landscape. Lovely.

I recorded and pushed an episode with mF on DIY Tenure, and recorded another that I should be posting this week.

After my January of making one video a week, I've been thinking and reflecting even more on content creation culture on the internet (based on having a new set of experiences to mull). I made some stuff that I feel like I was flirting heavily with... things I don't want to flirt with. Doing clickbaity stuff just because 'that's how it's done' and 'everybody else is doing it' -- not consciously but that's how it seemed to flow and that's a volume of media that I consume and thus program into my brain. I scared myself straight enough to mash the pause button on posting things before I get sucked any further in. I'm now working on taking some more intentional cracks at content creation on my own terms and aligned with my own values.

[7Wannabe5]

I love the native species identification phase of permaculture observation. One thing I used to do as part of my Scavenger Walk routine was challenge myself on species identification, whether native, garden, or rogue, from my front door Zone 0. IOW, I would try to see how far I could venture before encountering a species which I couldn't identify. Of course, if you reduce the scale too much, you won't get very far at all, and you will soon find yourself with a zillion magnified photos of insects on your smartphone. Although, it has been my experience that glossy enlarged prints of magnified insect photos in thrift-store frames make great Xmas presents.

[sodatrain]

I discovered Canvas in Obsidian and whoa. I've now got the dashboard I've always dreamed of. I've got my life purpose/mission statement waterfalling through my 5yr vision, theme for 2024, quarterly strategy, weekly plan, and daily plans, on one side. On the other I've mapped my areas of focus and major projects (organized by theme) in rough order moving in the direction of my purpose statement.

Oh that that sounds downright sexy! Might be time to give Obsidian a try.

*Dreams of seeing your purpose/vision/theme laid out*

[mountainFrugal]

I discovered Canvas in Obsidian and whoa.

Dammmmmmn iiiitttt @AH. More project and idea management Yak shaving is in my near future! After the Blender 4.0 donut tutorial of course! (@AH is coaching me)

[thef0x]

You might have a lot of fun with "Looker Studio" a free Google product for dashboard creation. Let's you connect and turn Google spreadsheets into no-code SQL databases. Good data visualization means better decision making (as long as you're measuring what matters).

Love me a beautiful graph or forty!

[AxelHeyst]

@7 oo that's a great idea. I'm determined not to be 'that guy' yet again for Christmas 2024...

@soda:
Purpose: To crush your enemies
Vision: To see them driven before you
Theme: to hear ze lamentations of zeir women

I'm planning on updating one of the yakshaving threads around here with some examples in another week or two... I want to get a few more reps in before I show n tell.

@mF I keep being impressed by Obsidian. It's off the shelf dead simple but handles infinite complexity, and all your data is just .md's sitting there on your hard drive if the software itself ever goes poof. And I'm spending VERY little time administering or fiddling with the knobs of the system. I just... use it. (I think, to say what I said earlier somewhere, having my knowledge base (reading notes etc) and project reference information in one platform is a big deal here, since they're all so connected).

And hey, aren't you done with the donut yet? That was your hw like a week ago! You've been wasting time scraping goo off concrete with your friends again haven't you...

@f0x don't tempt me!

[NewBlood]

Skillathon permaculture is going well. In addition to studying permaculture books, natural history, and processing weather data, I've started the master plan document and site plan drafts. I've scrounged up a rough process for creating the master plan and am iterating through it, getting familiar with each step.

I started a habit of identifying and learning about 3 native species per week. This past week I learned about yucca brevifolia (joshua trees), yucca moths (obligate pollinators of yuccas, which wasn't even a thing I knew existed), and mojave desert buckwheat which is everywhere here and has multiple medicinal uses. I want to learn the root powder laceration poultice.

Great update!
Which permaculture book(s) have you found most helpful so far? I'm reading Gaia's garden at the moment, and trying to decide which one to pick up next.

[AxelHeyst]

tldr:
Permaculture: A Designer's Manual by Mollison. (hard to find for less than $180 anywhere. I found a copy through interlibrary loan, and then @wrc sent me his copy to borrow while he's off slowtraveling the world.)
The Permaculture Handbook by Bane
Permaculture: Principles and Pathways Beyond Sustainability by Holmgren


I'd lightly read a few permaculture books before, but for my skillathon studies I got my hands on Permaculture: A Designer's Manual by Mollison. I highly recommend it as a foundational textbook treatment. For me it really fleshed out the basis for the three ethics and got at the heart of design thinking. Even if you only read the first few chapters it would be worthwhile... but the treatments on water, soil, trees, climate, etc are also giving me what feels like a much more thorough and solid basic understanding of how things fit together.

More contemporary books, in my opinion, assume you've already got a good handle on all that, and move quickly through a treatment of the ethics and principles to more specific treatments of e.g. market gardening or homesteading or whatever the thrust of the book is. This isn't at all a criticism of these books, it's me noticing that for me, it would have been more efficient to start with the Manual and then move to those books. (Also, reading the Manual gave me a bunch of insights and new connections related to ERE practice, WoG thinking, etc, that I didn't get from other books.)

I haven't read Permaculture One or Two, which preceded the Manual. They might be more interesting from a historical rather than practical perspective.

I have read Permaculture: Principles and Pathways Beyond Sustainability by Holmgren, which was the introduction of the 12 Principles. It's essential reading but it's more principles than techniques, so I'd say it depends on whether you're trying to get more or less abstract for your next book.

The Permaculture Handbook by Bane is excellent for many reasons. The pattern language section is worth it by itself.

I also have Gaia's garden, lightly read it years ago, but will be studying it in depth soon. I also have a stack of books specific to drylands (brad lancaster etc), and Art Ludwig's books on Greywater use and water storage.

I wish Geoff Lawton had a book on his greening the desert projects... studying off of the videos is excruciating for me.

[jacob]

tldr:
Permaculture: A Designer's Manual by Mollison. (hard to find for less than $180 anywhere. I found a copy through interlibrary loan, and then @wrc sent me his copy to borrow while he's off slowtraveling the world.)
The Permaculture Handbook by Bane
Permaculture: Principles and Pathways Beyond Sustainability by Holmgren

I'd lightly read a few permaculture books before, but for my skillathon studies I got my hands on Permaculture: A Designer's Manual by Mollison. I highly recommend it as a foundational textbook treatment. For me it really fleshed out the basis for the three ethics and got at the heart of design thinking. Even if you only read the first few chapters it would be worthwhile... but the treatments on water, soil, trees, climate, etc are also giving me what feels like a much more thorough and solid basic understanding of how things fit together.

Interesting. I used to own the Manual. I bought it back in early 2000something during my peak oil years---permaculture was hyped even back then---and sold it again about $100 about a decade ago. In contrast to you, I got little out of it. Lacking the contextual knowledge of gardening, I was not able to extract any abstract[ion] lessons in terms of principles. What little gardening knowledge I had was miles away from the dry climate/Australian focus of the book. I think permaculture is too high on the CCCCCC-scale to be beginner friendly.

In practical terms of growing, "copying neighbors" has been far more effective than trying to design something from scratch. Something about learning to crawl before learning to walk^H^H^H^Hbreakdance.

[AxelHeyst]

Yeah, I'm not learning anything about how to actually grow tomatoes or anything. I'm learning how to situate and approach learning the skill of gardening (among others) within the context of my site and design/vision. At some point I'm going to have to get a book/video/friend to show me how to germinate, propagate, amend soil, protect from critters, harvest, etc etc.

But learning to garden isn't my next step. My next step is to figure out how build an understanding of my site, the climate, soil, etc, integrate with my vision for this place and do checks on how realistic that is based on my available resources and the biophysical limits of my region, and then develop a road map for how to get from here to there. Planting a garden is like six steps in the future. Where should the garden go? How will I water it? How will I integrate windshields and shade coverings into it based on already existing and potential future infrastructure? What species make sense for my site? How can I most effectively iterate the design for a recycling water cascade?

I could just learn how to garden, decide to put it right *there*, and get going, and that'd be fine, but it wouldn't really be permaculture, methinks. What I'm after right now is getting at least a conceptual understanding of pattern design so I can sketch out my map in such a way that I don't paint myself in a corner when I actually get down to details like putting seeds in the ground. Philosophy/vision/ethics, then strategy, then tactics.

eta: my permaculture master plan includes gardening, but it also includes shelter design, water cascade-cycle design, site economics, governance, energy production and use, windshield design, erosion control, site rainwater planting, mulch and organic matter production, soil nutrient control, waste stream management/cycling, etc. And the relationship between all of these things. The purpose of this month's study is to get a rough idea of how all these patterns relate to each other, take a stab at arranging the components beneficially, and have at least an educated guess at where best to start.

[AxelHeyst]

I think if you're trying to read permaculture to be able to design and implement a mature polyculture in year 1, yes, it's too far up the CCCCCC scale. But if you're trying to learn how to approach site design from a systems thinking perspective, it's possible to get started.

It is a challenge to discern where to focus study, design, and implementation efforts. I'd consider this to be getting lost in the details without a foundation in the patterns first. I find myself having to pull my attention back up from the weeds of details over and over again as I'm going through this material, focus on the overall patterns and thinking behind pattern relationships, so that I can identify which set of details I ought to dive in to, and when.

[theanimal]

Have you thought about talking with your neighbor, the horticulturist (the one we helped with the generator), about your permaculture project and site design? It seems like an easy way to get knowledge specific to QH from a local expert.

[AxelHeyst]

@jacob, continuing the stream of thoughts, sorry for whipping on the dead horse but your comment triggered some thoughts I've had brewing on the relationship between permaculture and ERE...

The Manual is not an advanced gardening book, it is a systems thinking applied to human settlement design book. In the same way that your book is not an advanced frugality or investing book, it is a systems thinking applied to lifestyle design book.

If you want to garden, get a gardening book. If you want to eat frugally, get a frugal cooking book. etc.

@theanimal yes, him and my other neighbor who grew up homesteading here and came back as an adult to take it over. They're both a wealth of knowledge that I am and will be tapping in to. I've had initial conversations with them both, and am in the 'doing my own hw' phase to generate more informed conversations with them soon.

[NewBlood]

tldr:
Permaculture: A Designer's Manual by Mollison. (hard to find for less than $180 anywhere. I found a copy through interlibrary loan, and then @wrc sent me his copy to borrow while he's off slowtraveling the world.)
The Permaculture Handbook by Bane
Permaculture: Principles and Pathways Beyond Sustainability by Holmgren

I'd lightly read a few permaculture books before, but for my skillathon studies I got my hands on Permaculture: A Designer's Manual by Mollison. I highly recommend it as a foundational textbook treatment. For me it really fleshed out the basis for the three ethics and got at the heart of design thinking. Even if you only read the first few chapters it would be worthwhile... but the treatments on water, soil, trees, climate, etc are also giving me what feels like a much more thorough and solid basic understanding of how things fit together.

Thanks for summarizing all these! A quick google search led me to a pdf of the designer's manual. I know, bad, but given how expensive this book is, I'll start there and if it feels like what I need and will reference often, I'll buy the hardcover from ebay.

All the other ones you mentioned have been lingering in my amazon cart, as well as Martin Crawford's "the forest garden", and Hemenway's "Permaculture City".

I'd be curious to hear what you think of Gaia's garden once you get to it. I really like how practical and actionable it is. But as you said, the ethics and principles are talked about very concisely.