Hungry for some Pansies - Part II

It's the summer doldrums.

And then lightening strikes.

It comes in the form of two new interests. I had off Friday and began listening to the Pansy Division CD I had been given. I'm about half way through now, having listened to most of the first half twice. There are a couple of real gems on the CD. The first song in particular has gotten 3 listens, just because I find it so funny. The James Bondage song is a winner, as well. I like the song - and I'm going to mess up the name/topic - about the beautiful boy who is the singer's dream guy, as well. But that first one about - love love love love love, blahblahblahblahblah cause its all about sex sex sex sex sex- is a classic.

And I'm reading Hunger Games. Its a book I first heard about in a Slate.com headline (but didn't read the story or anything about it). Then I saw a post on Facebook about it. So I picked up a copy at Target. Its fantastic. A little fatalistic, a lot violent, but an awesome read. Very well plotted. It's kind of 1984 meets Lord of the Flies, in a way. I haven't been reading much; I just haven't had the strength. But I'm reading away at 50 pages per day on this and loving it. That might not seem like a lot to you, but I've had a 60 birthday party to prep for at my house - and clean up from - and 100 things going on. And like I said, I've had trouble reading of late. But this book - I hate to put the book down. I find myself wanting to get to the next page, next event; only then I'm sad that I've read so far.

The book is the first in a trilogy that I definitely plan to read.

Hungry for some Pansies - Part I

Its' been a hot and humid spring & summer. And then August happened. So, I haven't been much but ducking in and out of buildings avoiding the soup-like heat. Consequently, there hasn't been much to post about. I'm ordering new windows for the bedroom today, and once they arrive in two-to-three weeks, I'll be installing them. But I hardly think you much care, and that feels more like a "Hooray, it went well, I'm sorta kinda handy" or a "I have plywood for a window" kinda post down the road.

I'll be working from home by Nov. 12. Supposedly. This is, by my count, the 12 plan they've had for us, so I'm not holding onto that too dearly until it happens. In the meantime, its got me nervous and excited and worried. It's much better than not having a job, but I'll miss the social aspects of the office. Plus, I may never shave, shower, dress or socialize with anyone ever again.

The UPS guy will drop off a package - probably of tea - and will be confronted with a mountain man looking fellow, pizza crusted in his beard. Flies will buzz around the man, and, despite it being 3 p.m., I'll be in my robe and swat them away with the cuff .

It's the summer doldrums.

Clinging to Clingstone

Ah, Clingstone.

Bought for a mere $3,600. That's cheap in our area. Its cheap in the depths of poverty in Mississippi. Heck, its cheap in Mexico. It's probably even cheap in the parts of Iraq where Americans would disappear.

103 years old. 65 windows. 23 rooms. For those who might think that a bit too conspicuous... solar panels for heating the 3,000 galllon cistern of rain water. Wind turbine for electricity. Composting toilets.

How much do I love Clingstone? I've wondered if maybe, just maybe, a greenhouse on the roof would be doable and make it more livable.

Oh, and its replaced Portland, Ore., as the place I'd most like to live in addition to claiming top spot on the "Favorite Residence That I'm Not Currently Residing In."

I guess its not a big surprise that I would fall in love with this place, based on this post about my interest in seasteading and all. Or my 1.5 year fascination with houseboats as a mode of living. Oh, houseboats, welcome to #3 on the "place I'd most like to live" list.

So, about that $3,600 price tag. The house was for sale after decades of uninhabited neglect following some damage caused by a hurricane. It was a pretty good deal for a house with no roof or glass in its windows, considering it was for sale for $5,000.

As to what attracks me to it. I love the engineering and ingenuity of man overcoming nature. To me, its very Fountainheadesque in its architecture. Owning something like that - something that is such a design & engineering accomplishment, such a force of man bending the will of nature - that attracts me. It's got great views, as one can imagine.

There is an individualistic calling to it for me, as well Along the lines of the suggested "Going Galt" movement ala Atlas Shrugged that has some zones of the InterGoogle Tubes atwitter.
Plus it would be cool.

And just think: If the horror movie scenerio of zombification of the world ever plays out, Clingstone would make a pretty easily defended fort. Forget Will Smith's mansion in Washington, D.C. I'd take a cliff-surrounded island with 23 rooms any day. Good fruits and veggies would be in short supply, but that would happen anyway, wouldn't it? And fishing strikes me as easier than hunting, given the need for ammo and probably gasoline to fuel your salvage vehicle. Fishing requires a pole, line, and a hook. None of which are too hard to come by, and are much more easily rigged than a gun and ammo. Gas oxidizes and would useless in a month or four. No such problem with a sailboat.

On the other side of the ledger, even ignoring the zombie invasion scenerio, its probably not easy to reach for those of us who don't have well-upkept boating skills. Its probably an absolute pain to get groceries in. Not to mention supplies of other kinds. And it makes going out for a night on the town a bit of a trick. But honestly, with 23 rooms, I can probably have most of the people I want to see over on a pretty frequent basis. Who is going to turn down a chance to stay there?

In the even of Zombification, winter would be a small problem.

Other than that, the near constant upkeep required to prevent it from being reclaimed by the ocean (you have to secure the doors open or closed lest the wind - relatively quickly - bash them to pieces) and the realities of such isolation, I think I'd love it.

Anyway, that's what I think is beautiful and cool at this time.

What I find cool RIGHT NOW - Clingstone

There's a story here from the NY Times. But screw it, I'm just going to provide you a picture of the house called Clingstone.

This replaces my previous "Favorite House I'm Not Currently Residing In." Though to be fair, the previous house's interior was a big bust. My love for it was entirely based on the unique blue-grey exterior color, to which the link does no justice.

Back to Clingstone - That's right, its on a freakin island of rock all by its lonesome in Rhode Island's Narragansett Bay. I'll have an additional post on this place, its interesting history, why I think it appeals to me, and how I'd probably actually feel about living there in a future post.

Look for that later this week.