Photos as objective stories for processes, methods, and techniques.

Looking west from The Hive.

It is insane that I am out here, basically doing an internship / apprenticeship in construction out in the desert. It's now week 8 for me. I am getting to know myself so much better than I did before, and understanding. Seeing. Integrating shadow and light. Becoming acquainted with my own culture, process, and values.

Mike Reynolds: Dogma & Profits

Inspiration.

More Inspiration.

What's left of the Nautilus.

Bottle "wall" section & door at The Hive.

Ceiling over spiral staircase in The Hive.

The title for this blog being, "Photos as objective stories for objects, processes and methods," is all I can give for this extremely subjective experience. Where I am right now is purely subjective and my tendency is to be critical and analytical, and it's too soon. I want to evaluate my experience, and know - as of today - that my experience is to experience and not judge nor evaluate. I will leave the Mesa not knowing how this phase of my life will shape me or my near future . . . or rest of my days.

Water Organizing Module Schematic

W.O.M. team work assembly line.

Grey Water Botanical Cell: The Hive

Marissa plumbing through the stem wall, after jack-hammering through volcanic rock.

Round bottle wall for bathroom; vertical windows & gray water botanical cells.

W.O.M., Grey & Black Botanical Cells, Sewage with Lou.

Bilge pumps for drawing water from botanical cells.

Grey water pump that draws from bilge pumps.

Marissa & Kelley plumbing the bathroom.

Power Organizing Module set up.

Ready to take outside to test.

Electrical outlet

Light switch wired.

Builder's Level

"I'm feeling positive about this measurement." Dave.

Teamwork.

Trusses: Getting ready for the greenhouse.

Can mix matrix.

Kerouac

Brother Brett prepping for cement.

Coleman

Lay plastic, dirt, mesh, water and cement.

Pouring cement in the rain.

Curing for Saltillo tiles.

Backroad to the Castle. No joke.

No doubt about it, I am being challenged. I'm beyond my limits and expanding across the ceaseless horizons, and I'm not broken. I know myself well enough to see that there will be many, many times I will recall images, stories, people, smells and memories of my time here and see what a major impact it made in my life. I will long to be there again. I'll glean from it forever. It nudges me to be as present as possible and appreciate each moment.

Old Press Office with E.V.E. in the background.

Double Rainbow

Press Office / Educational Facility & E.V.E. Photo courtesy: Kristen

Skylight next to my bunk and shelves.

I left the skylight open while we were on the job site. It is now monsoon season. Big storm today. I came home to my thermarest soaked, my two wine boxes of clothing soaking wet, and not only wet but spattered with adobe that had melted off the walls. After laying cement all day, and in the rain, all I wanted to do when I got home was take a shower and put on warm clothes. I came home to this and spent the afternoon drying and washing ALL my clothes. I melted my IGT Stewardess outfit. Bummer.

Wet Clothes. Notice my New Mexico plates?

In closing: guidance given to me. Wisdom and vision apparently have the same Germanic root word, wissen. Wisdom is knowing our experience, knowing our past. Vision is basically seeing in our imagination or in the supernatural. That may not be the perfect recall, but it's basically the gist. In order to know where we're going, we have to know where we've been, know where we are by being in the moment and seeing into . . . what we want to bring into the world. So much of our experience is shaped merely by how we choose to think about it. I'm practicing mental alchemy I see.

I have not been dreaming since I've been here. That's strange to me. 

Blowing you inspiration, vision, joy, health, communication, and of course, love.