: one that drifts; especially : one that travels or moves about aimlessly
Oh, ok. I thought I would actually fall into this definition, but there's nothing particularly aimless about it.
Regardless, yes, I am moving. I moved to San Antonio with the hope that a lower unemployment rate then Chicago would mean more jobs, and me getting my unemployed ass a job. It worked! It totally worked. Not only was I able to get myself a job, but I was able to get myself a DIRT cheap one bedroom apartment, as it is also the second cheapest place to live in the country.
And for a wihle it was good; my job was right where I wanted it, a part time position in some back slave-closet of an office, managing and organizig data and files into a comprehensive system. I'm good at that for some reason. I don't know why. I don't particularly want to be good at that because it has become my most marketable skill, and ends up being the soul-crushingly boring (but decently paying) job I get over and over again. But this was nice because I was only working 28 - 32 hours a week, allowing me to start TEXARRAKIS OBSCURITIES, the new commercial wing of TEXARRAKIS. My girlfriend also has a successful Etsy store, where she sells her handmade jewelery. Check it out. She has helped me immensely in the success of my store.
Which I have had a lot of fun with, and is the reason this webpage fell by the way side. After my day job, and working on the Etsy shop, all I had the energy to do was watch Star Trek. I didn't even have the energy to take screen shots of Star Trek, as I had promised to do. Sorry.
Then, suddenly I became the office manager at my day job, and started working full time. I don't like working full time. I just really don't think it is good for my soul. Plus I think I have some sort of psychological disorder that makes me just really hate being bossed around. Maybe that is natural. I don't know. But I apologize to anyone reading this who is working full time that is grumbling to themselves like "yeah well why don't you just try I mean what are you lazy I have to work full time you should to I have 300,000 mouths to feed you can't just expect me to I mean get a job", I fully understand where you're coming from.
But yes, all of a sudden I found myself staring down the eternal barrel of working 40 hours a week 15 miles away from my home doing things I wouldn't have any desire to do if it weren't for the fact I was being paid to do them. Then, I got a bafflingly large tax return from the federal government, apparently my reward for being an unemployed weirdo for most of 2010. Then, I was contacted by someone (or something) that, for better or worse, reminded me of exactly what my life has been, and should be. At the very minimum, living in the middle of the desert, and surrouded by mountains.
photo by Haley Filamond
That, and being self-employed. TEXARRAKIS OBSCURITIES is enjoying fairly moderate success, especially considering it isn't even three months old yet. Each month I make more sales and more money then the last. I have enough money saved from working and the generous donaiton from the federal government for being really poor in 2010, that I will be able to pay for rent for FOUR months outright, giving me at least a two month window of opportuity to attempt going FULL TIME with my Etsy store. Not just the Etsy store, but all aspects of TEXARRAKIS; this blog, Star Trek screenshots, the TEXARRAKIS youtube channel; everything. If I fail at being to fully support myself with this, hopefully at least I can go back to being a wage-serf extremely part time.
At any rate, the amount of money I am making right now from TEXARRAKIS OBSCURITIES is definitely living off grid in the middle of the desert sort of money. A vague plan is underway right now to make another attempt at FORT AWESOME in February of 2012, with building up it's infrastructure remotely from Alpine in the mean time. I don't want to move back out there until some BASIC needs are met. Living out of tents as weird desert sages was certainly an amazing experience, but not at all conducive towards anything productive.
It was amazing though, and was an incredible first step; it would have been nice to know it would just be a first step as it was happening. That's ok though.
Until I am settled in Alpine, this is Gene of TEXARRAKIS saying thank you for your continued patronage.
The Human Car runs on both stored electricity and human power, up to four people can operate the oars at once! It can move uphill at 30 mph, and can top out at 60 mph. I can't possibly imagine driving this in the city streets of Chicago (where I seem to hear a large screech followed by a deep resonating crunch every 2 - 6 hours), or on the expansive 75 MPH highways of West Texas. The very thought of interacting with other, large steel frame gasoline powered vehicles in this thing is enough to give me goosebumps. And with a price tag of $15,500, the cost is somewhat prohibitive for myself anytime in the foreseeable future. Do they make an off road version I could tool around on some poorly maintained desert dirt roads with?
HOWEVER, a magical fantasy utopia where this type of vehicle is the only type of vehicle on the road, that is an incredible vision of the future.
In the two and a half months spent on Texarrakis soil, one of our larger past times was watching lightning storms. This was my personal favorite past time, although I do admit, it was not voluntary. When your whole life is spent outdoors (unless sleeping in a disintegrating tent at night counts as indoors), you will watch whatever storm is coming. At least I will. Texarrakis is situated right at the highest point of the middle of Lobo Valley, with mountains sandwiching it in east and west. Generally speaking, lightning storms would kind of get trapped behind the mountains. It would linger far away, and you would be safe from lightning. But, every now and then one would push it's way past the mountains, and all of a sudden you would find yourself one of the top ten tallest things within a quarter mile in the middle of a violent lightning storm. It was during these points you would get into a car.
Generally though, they would sit behind mountains, and as the sun would set, we would move our camping chairs to get a good view. As it got darker, they would light up like classic Star Trek nebulae, and we would sit and watch until they either dissipated or moved on.
large storm trapped behind the chispa mountains
Pulsating and flashing on and off, streaks of lightning travelling from top to bottom or side to side of the storm. It was glorious. What an incredible replacement for television, and just as hypnotizing as a campfire.
Now I'm in Chicago, and I'm pleased with my thunderstorm viewing. It could certainly be better. I am on the third floor of an old brick apartment building, with a view of the Sears (oh uh, excuse me, the Willis) Tower. Every so often, the tornado siren goes off. This isn't West Texas, but I believe it will do for the time being.
This couple is going off grid in Terlingua, which is in the Big Bend area of far West Texas. Their fort awesome is similar to our plan for ours, except I think they are probably more competent than we are; they were able to get things set up on their first attempt. We may have to enlist their help ( or the field lab) in setting up our wind generator.
I fear we may not be as well established as they are for several years, because we are learning on our feet; we are incompetent city kids!
This is a hostel in Marathon, Texas which is approximately one hundred miles south of Texarrakis. Situated on the edge of Marathon in the Big Bend area of West Texas, this place is pretty awesome. First time we showed up here, they helped fill our vehicles with scrap building materials. We were stunned by the structures they had set up, amazing artistic structures, many made out of paper crete. It's very friendly and awesome here. The panoramic views are stunning (although they don't beat the panoramic views at Texarrakis (It is hard to beat the views on Texarrakis soil)). A true Fort Awesome, and one that you can stay at on bunk beds for ten bucks a night.
