Saturday, May 23, 2015

Circles - By Anna


Never has it been so apparent to me that over the course of our lives we become culturally dependent and become products of a social construction that is geographically specific. When traveling abroad, we have the opportunity to see how our lives differ from those with other social and cultural norms. Our absolute truth changes, and this is very powerful, but not everyone has access to travel as a means of illumination. How do we break the cycles that are perpetuated by what we consider to be normal? In an effort to counter this, I share my experiences on La Tana dei Ghiri in Maratea, Italy. I present five practices I have observed on this farm that I hope can inspire individual sustainable efforts and break the cycle of overconsumption and environmental degradation in the US. They are very simple things, yet are perceived here as very normal and essential to running a productive, healthy farm. What’s more, I hope to make apparent the fact that simple changes in day-to-day life can make a huge difference if we collectively accept sustainability as the new norm.

1. With almost every trip into town, we stop at the dumpsite to find reusable metals and plastics. One time we picked up a small gear-like hunk of metal that Francesco, our host, found to be perfect for the stovetop. Our smallest coffee maker no longer falls through the grates of the gas stove, and rests nicely upon our recycled piece of metal! Further, minimizing our consumption of non-recyclable materials is in our best interest because otherwise we must make more and more treks to the garbage site! There are only so many hours in the day.

This specific habit does not translate very well to large cities, but I think references the larger picture of REUSE. Recycling matters in reducing our environmental impact, but reusing should come before recycling. For example, why buy an entire new set of silverware at Bed, Bath, & Beyond when there are thousands of cheap and perfectly good ones at Good Will? The same goes for clothing – either buy second hand or buy quality products that don’t have to constantly be replaced. Good Will, Crossroads, Buffalo Exchange, Deseret Industries, etc. are all my friends!

2. Another, more implicit (yet probably more important) example of REUSE is compost as fertilizers. All left over food products from our meals either get placed back in the fridge, given to the 8 cats that live here, or placed in a compost bin (I especially love taking the compost from the kitchen to the bin because I get to walk through at least 20 spiderwebs…). When taking nutrients out of the soil for food, the fertility must be returned in some way. Otherwise, the net change is depletion. This is the real circle of life. Francesco trades the grass we’ve cut away from the garden for “sheep shit…nature’s gold” from the neighbor. I spent 3 hours one day laying the watery, wormy, maggoty mess all over the farm. I would much rather kneel in and inhale actual gold, but the production of beautiful, juicy produce makes it all worth it.

3. The first day we arrived to the farm, Francesco gave us a tour. Because he utilizes permaculture, it can be difficult to tell exactly where the intentional and non-intentional plants grow. Danielle accidentally stepped on a newly planted onion, and I swear Francesco nearly exploded – “They are like my baby!!” None of the plants grown are sold but instead sustain the community that lives and visits La Tana dei Ghiri. A couple hours a day spent in the sun and fresh air maintaining plants produces fresh food that can minimize costs and maximize nutrition of meals! Granted, we spend more than a couple hours a day working, but we also produce more vegetables than necessary to feed a family. I would love to see this way of life popularized in cities. Not only are gardens aesthetically pleasing, but they also provide nutritious food to inner-city residents, often deprived of fresh fruit and vegetables. This also means we put less pressure on farmlands outside of the city and reduce the amount of total transport (plane, train, or truck). This trip has definitely inspired me to get to know the dirt in my own back yard.





4.  A co-wwoofer of ours was sweeping the ash from the grand fireplace into a bucket, which I expected to be dumped outside. But instead the bucket was stored by the garden. I asked why, and apparently ash is another great source of nutrition for soil! And even more so because the cats used it as a litter box… Nothing here is wasted!

5.  If sheep shit is like gold, then water is like platinum because nothing matters more than preserving water on this farm. I thought that I was already pretty conservative with water in Seattle (I only shower every couple of days, turn off the water when I shave, flush conservatively, wash my car at the car wash, etc.). But judging by how many times I’ve been yelled at, I clearly have a lot to learn. Francesco has continuously reminded me of the neighbor down the road who has no electricity or running water and instead uses a pump from the nearby well. It is scripture here that we must rarely use hot water (and if we do, after 7 because heating costs half as much), and only wash dishes and the like when sanitation is of real concern. Of course, we are much less conservative with water when giving it to the plants, but never are we to water when the sun is high. Only a couple months ago did I witness the exact opposite. When visiting my sister in Arizona I saw a golf course with their sprinklers running at 1 pm in the afternoon……in Arizona.




My experience on La Tana dei Ghiri has illuminated the power of cultural norms to distracting and dissuading people from choosing a more sustainable life. All these habits I described above are simple yet not popular in America (and most of the developed world). Moreover, my experiences have fortified my understanding of life as cyclical. (Only two weeks on one farm?! Imagine how changed my philosophies might be if I actually experience the seasons on the farm!) Reusing metals, plastics, animal waste, food waste, ash, water, etc. is all part of producing the best food possible. What goes in, must come out, what goes up must come down, and spinnin' wheel got to go round. I am also of the philosophy that such changes require both top-down and bottom-up changes, both systemic and individual efforts. We can each make these changes in our home and consumption habits, but cities can also provide spaces for p-patches and bins for compost. We must respect the circle as individuals and as societies! The circle is meaningful, easy to conceptualize, and a positive reminder. It makes for a pretty good series of photos, too.








Saturday, January 24, 2015

That time my best friend and I hosted the Golden Globes, by Anna

Oh my goodness I must have died and gone to heaven and then died and gone to hell because that blog post was one of the most sweetest things ever and also the most difficult things to follow up.

I would like to tell you about Danielle by starting with how we first met. Danielle and I met as young aspiring comedians in Chicago working our way through ImprovOlympic. It was best-friend-love at first sight. Oh wait, that was Tina and Amy. But who can really tell the difference? (Side note 1: think about it…Danielle Elizabeth Lemmon, just sounds like Liz Lemon. And myself, an up-and-coming community planner destined for government work building parks. Tina’s brunette, Danielle is brunette. Amy is blonde, so am I. Liz has facial hair issues, need I say more?)

Danielle (left) and myself (right) hosting the Golden Globes

In fact it was not best-friend-love at first sight. Danielle is like beer. She’s gassy? Well yes, but what I mean is she’s an acquired taste. Or maybe she’s more like coffee because although she’s an acquired taste, everyone in the end learns to love her (I’m still not big on beer). Our first interaction was as incoming freshman at the University of Washington, in the Hec Edmondson basketball court waiting for our Husky Band auditions on trumpet. Although it was not best-friend-love at first sight, I oddly remember exactly what she was wearing. A purple blouse with cuffed sleeves and jeans. And just to be clear, the blouse didn’t have jeans, Danielle did. That would be silly.

Our communication at this point was casual banter about how we felt about the impending audition. It wasn’t until later that evening, after all cuts had been made, that the incoming trumpet rookies were invited to the trumpet house for a “meet-the-vet night”. Every rookie and vet had the opportunity to introduce themselves, including their intended major and part on trumpet. All I remember is that Danielle, in her deadpan humor that no one was yet acclimated to, said “I am third, but I could have gotten first if I felt like it.” Or something like that. Note to editor, please confirm this with Danielle before she yells at me “that’s not what happened, motherfucker.” Her memory is so much better than mine, especially of important things like remembering where her keys are or if she left the oven on, or where her keys are. (Side note 2: DO NOT let us grow old together, our collective lack of short-term memory will literally kill us.)
 
So my first impression of her wasn’t so great, and it probably didn’t help that our first bonding experience was buying (and I use this word lightly) “clothes” for the purple and gold rally. At Buffalo Exchange, Danielle found a gold sequined bodice and asked me if she thought she should buy it. Although I may have said “no” at the time, I’m glad I said yes (gold bodice first pictured left, 2010). You’d be surprised how handy a gold sequined bodice can be in college. Forget mini fridges, backpacks, or meal plans. Invest in a gold sequined bodice, incoming freshmen. It will get you where you need to go.


From that moment on, we started becoming friends. But the moment I knew we were best friends was when we were sitting in her apartment, watching TV (probably Parks and Rec) and both of our phones go off. As it turns out, we take our birth control pills at the same time, we use the exact same brand, and for the same weeks of the month (Side note 3: true story). I’m pretty sure that’s what you call the female equivalent of blood brothers.
 
Gold bodice continues to make an appearance, 2013
I believe there are several stages to becoming best friends with someone. Synchronized periods is definitely one of them, but I realize that’s a little exclusive to those non-women folk out there. Another big step you might notice reaching with your best friend is when you have to lend them your credit card. Mom, I know you’re reading this right now and I swear it was a responsible decision. Danielle really needed some Chipotle and I was too afraid to parallel park and go in with her. See? You would have done the same thing.


This May, Danielle and I will be wwoofing across Europe. This will be by far the biggest step we’ve taken together and the best one! (So far.) Spending all of my time with one person for 6 weeks will be a challenge for both of us, but I wouldn’t want to do it with anyone else. First of all, Danielle has done most of the work on our itinerary and budget thus far, so that’s great (thank you thank you thank you). But more importantly, no matter how pissed off we get with each other, we have developed the skill set to work it out. Danielle mentioned this in her post, but it’s worth mentioning again: there is no passive aggression here. If something bothers us, we’ll make it known. I anticipate tension to run high about two weeks into our trip, when we both simultaneously lose our passports (see side notes 2 and 3) but no matter how angry we are, I trust that we either know how to talk/write it out, or how to take some space from each other to regenerate the skills for the former. 

This compatibility stems from Danielle’s keen sense of empathy and from my inability to withhold my feelings. Seriously, I cannot keep any of my own secrets. It’s taken all that I have not to reveal all the funny parts of this entry before finishing it. Anyways, I look forward to the trip with my best friend. Although she may be like coffee for being an acquired taste, she is also like coffee because she gives me energy and I’m fucking addicted. I love you! Thank you for letting me treat your kitchen as my own.

- Anna
 P.S. my middle name is spelled FARRELL, bitch

Thursday, December 18, 2014

Anna's Graduation, by Danielle

Anna has been my best friend for about three years, and now she has graduated. While I graduated back in the spring, I mark this as a bigger celebration because it marks the beginning of our adventures together!

A view of Tuscany from the Duomo Bell Tower
We are planning on leaving to go WWOOFing in Italy, spring of 2015. We also have a rough outline of traveling along the northern Mediterranean coast. While we haven't had much time to plan yet, what we do plan is to grow, discover, love, fight, learn, cry, laugh, run, eat, farm, and much more. I truly can't wait to see what journeys lie ahead of us.

Life with Anna in it has been truly remarkable, and I want everyone (who reads this post anyway) to know how she has affected me in the most wonderful ways. Because I'm not a nuanced writer yet, I will have to resort to a list.

Eleven Things I've Gotten From My Friendship with Anna


Here's a picture to introduce you to Anna, the prettiest sunfish.
1. Civil Responsibility. I am a smarter and more involved citizen. If you read this and find you have apathetic friends, here is a tip: get rid of them. Indifference and apathy are not virtues. I am involved in my community, I never forget to vote, and I know what the heck civic environmentalism is. If you've ever seen Parks and Recreation, Anna Mines is a regular Leslie Knope and I a grateful Ann Perkins.

2. Motivation. I have never seen someone more self-motivated than Anna Farell (or is it like Pharell Williams? I'm embarrassed...) Mines. She is constantly using her free time to better herself, to create and to learn. I want to work for a better me, and I'm glad she encourages me to do that. When I sit on my couch and complain about being out of shape, she doesn't go "yeah that sucks, bro." She suggests we go on a run, or go for a walk, or go do yoga! Again, if you're reading this and you find that you haven't been outside in the past week, find some friends who will take you outside. Find some friends who will motivate you to go live your life to its fullest.

Me with Anna's sign at Rock n' Roll 1/2
3. Support/Athleticism. I ran a half-marathon! I really did! And you know what? She inspired me to do it AND she was there with a sign that said "Go Danielle!" That's right, Anna got up at the ass-crack of dawn to be there for me when I started off the race. I fondly remember making prerun-poop jokes on the bus before we got there. She couldn't stay until the end, but her support meant more to me than I can describe here. I learned that going outside of your comfort zone means finding people who will support you in doing that.

4. Spontaneity. Life just isn't the same without spontaneity. Anna has helped me see the good can come from opening yourself up to the world! One time, Anna and I ran around Greenlake, but didn't have anything else to do afterwards. We decided to walk up through Phinney Ridge and in to Ballard. We stopped by her old middle school, walked into shops, ate pizza, and talked for hours. By the time we got back it was sun down, and we promised each other we would never forget that day. I promise you, I will never forget that day. Go out and have that day with a loved one.

5. Music. I am a musician, and she has taught me how to be a better one. Mainly, she taught me how to listen. Why had I never thought of that before? Anyway, Anna is ALWAYS in some sort of ensemble. Last year, I promised myself that this year I would be in a band continuously. I recently joined La Banda Gozona and the UW Symphonic Band, and they have enriched my experience as a musician. I can't say that I think I would have done this without her influence. She serves as a constant reminder of how much joy can be had by keeping music as a part of my life. I think I will carry this with me for the rest of my life.

6. Shooting the shit at Chipotle. Anna: Remember that one time Chris Gelon was trying to tell a story, and we just kept cutting him off by laughing? Chipotle, as odd as it seems, has become a center-piece of our relationship. I can't quite articulate how or why, but I'm glad Chipotle has become a part of our shared identity.

7. Food. Speaking of Chipotle, I want to thank Anna for getting me to think about food in a different light. When we first meant, I would hoard and waste food for no good reason. I would never think about what I was eating or where it came from, and now I think this is so important! She sparked my passion for food, food privilege, and food security. It is something I hope to study in graduate school, and it feels like somehow she led me here. 

8. Creativity. I think we all remember "Straight Lines." (Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jI1RivL7Qzw) I don't think I would've ever gotten involved in that on my own, but Anna pushed me. She's always instigated doing covers, including this one: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=daEafrYjLbU It's fun to have something to look back on, and it's fun to create. If you're reading this, go create something with your friends. I promise, you won't regret it. 


9. Humor. Anna is probably the funniest person I know. If you disagree then SHUT YOUR DIRTY FUCKING MOUTH. I WILL ARREST YOU, THROW YOU INTO THE WOODS, AND FORCE YOU TO DANCE LIKE KEVIN BACON UNTIL YOU COME TO YOUR SENSES. 

10. Companionship. I will never forget our many sleepovers, dinners, runs, walks, talks, movie nights, creative nights, and homework nights (LOL, who are we kidding about that last one). Anna is someone with whom I can recharge my batteries, lament my sorrows, celebrate my victories, and quaff deeply. She is my confidant, wingman, caretaker, and best friend.

11. Friendship. You know what one of my favorite parts of our relationship is? When Anna comes to me and tells me about something I did that hurt her or that she didn't like. I don't like that I hurt her, but I like that she feels she can come to me. I like that we can talk about our problems and our faults in both serious and jovial manners. This type of balance is incredibly difficult to come by, and I am so fortunate to have it now. 

Here's to our wonderful times together as undergraduate students, and to many more together traveling and otherwise. Anna, I love you so much. Thank you for letting me make eye contact with you while I fart.