Buying forest land, implementing solar

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http://www.news-medical.net/news/20170614/Study-shows-correlation-between-urinary-stress-hormones-and-coronary-heart-disease.aspx

In particular, urinary cortisol was a strong independent predictor of asymptomatic coronary heart disease.

Researchers were also surprised to learn that one stress hormone -; dopamine -; was inversely related to heart risk. They found higher levels of dopamine were associated with a lower chance of having any coronary calcium.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10725161

Banana contained dopamine at high levels in both the peel and pulp. Dopamine levels ranged from 80-560 mg per 100 g in peel and 2.5-10 mg in pulp, even in ripened bananas ready to eat.

In otherwords, be like a chimpanzee, and eat that organic banana peel. lol

In other news, my heartbeat seems to have an abnormal quality to it. Can't really put my finger on it...

Feels like the eustress/excitement kind of feeling. Or some kind of stress. I don't know, it's just a little unusual. I don't feel particularly excited right now, so that's what I'm not inclined to call it excitement, lol.

Anyway, I'm not particularly sure if I trust Walmart's organic bananas. HEB's banana peels don't taste bitter at all, but I can taste bitterness in the "organic bananas" from Walmart. Maybe I'm not fairly comparing them (Maybe wall world's bananas weren't ripe?)... I will try to get a better assessment later. Tomorrow. Going to do a banana pickup tomorrow, since their bananas typically take 1-2 days to ripen, and I currently have a 2 day supply.

Update: Just emptied the water container and inspected it. No remaining chicken meat, yay! There appears to be a little bit of something settling in there, but hopefully nothing bad. Anyway, just need to add more water, and it should be fairly diluted by that point in which case it'll be usable for showering. Then, I'd have to construct the showering area. I still have no idea where the shower tent is, despite practically emptying the van today and it's obviously not in the RV (Never got processed to go anywhere.), so I'm highly suspecting I never received it from amazon. Which is a bummer.

Anyway, it was obvious. Chest was sticking out. I think that's like the key nonverbal signal as to what you think of yourself. Because of the opposite of that is the hunched over slouch.

Anyway, I know there's a literary term for that. What is it... chest full of pride? Pride bursting out of my chest? Pride on my chest?

Clearly pride gets expressed there, lol.

"Stick your chest out" - I'm getting a lot of hits with that.

http://changingminds.org/techniques/body/parts_body_language/chest_body_language.htm

A difference with men is that they do this both to women ('Look at me - I'm strong and will protect you and our babies') and also other men ('I am strong, so you'd better not get in my way').

I don't really know about that. I think it's more a display of attitude/feeling than actual physical strength because women do it for presumably similar reasons. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure if a women has breasts, they can emphasize them by purposely consciously doing that... but... I don't think the unconscious nonverbal language is with that particular intent.
 
So the question is, did the Navy discharge you for your poor health or the mental disorder you appear to have. You being In the Navy questions as to why you are so paranoid almost all the time. Is that something that they taught you or is this on your own doing? I just can't follow the fact you were in the Navy and are afraid of just about everything around you, WTF?

Dan
 
They discharged me for being adventurous and me acting as the captain of my own ship. Officers, including chief petty officers, don't like those qualities, lol. They'd much rather for them to be the 'captain of your ship', figuratively.

But, really, getting denuked sealed the deal because I didn't want to be in the (general) navy, lol - that's a lot of risk and a poor sleep environment for relatively little reward (I really do want to emphasize that poor sleep environment, lol.). And they were denuking a lot of people at that particular time. I suspect that's because 1) The captain of nuke school was being forced to resign because of a gay priest scandal (Remember, this is during the LGBT-friendly Obama administration) so I think he was lashing out against all the recruits coming to be reviewed by him 2) There was a HUGE influx of nuke students roughly around the same time, about 1-2 months prior. That might have bumped up the denuking rate.

I told my bootcamp mates that, "I didn't join the navy. I joined the nuclear navy." (The chain of commands are actually separated, so this is not just me saying it.).

In my particular case, I was told by the chief my roommate was instrumental, but he said many contradictory things that really just highlighted how he personally felt, and I feel that was likely instrumental. The denuking rate in that particular class for non-academic reasons was really high, for whatever sociopathic reasons that chief had. So methinks "getting a sociopathic chief" probably played a /strong role/. Despite getting denuked, I was the only person allowed to be keep my rank and pay in the history of the school. (At least recent history as far as anyone could recall, lol, because they expressed disbelief.)
 
As to restriction, that was a pretty fun experience but then again so was DTP, the department of transient personnel, but there were times where it felt like my basic human rights were being stripped from me. Don't get me wrong, I do think that some of them believe that's their job, lol, but... the feeling of helplessness it produces is a disgusting feeling I never want to revisit. Out here on my own property in freedom county, I have freedom, and I don't think most people recognize the value of "freedom" never having been in that kind of situation where it's been completely revoked and then some.

As to DTP, it told the story of how many people were getting denuked. "I've never seen DTP this big before!" was a common refrain from the personnel there. Due to emergent phenomenon from large numbers, they had to modify PT practices to prevent it from turning into an hour long circus, lol.

Anyway, an unimportant sidestep. Onto the more important current topics; like getting bananas and getting a review of those tapes. If the review shows I took the bag, well then, /f/ me and I'll buy another one.

I don't know if I should seriously upgrade locks on the RV. I don't think someone stole it from me given the timing would've been exceptional and the fact they ignored everything else I had back there. The other things aren't as easy to carry, but they are more valuable.

But if someone did steal it... they might come back looking for more.

Anyway, was feeling tired at 9 like I usually do, and I went to sleep this time instead of pushing through it. Sure enough, fell asleep. I don't necessarily like falling asleep at 9 because it's still fairly warm in the RV with the temp outside being 84 degrees and I got sweat going on, but I just have to deal methinks. No noticeable difference in sleep quality vs going to sleep at 11 p.m. or 1 a.m., so far.

And, I still need to figure out roof access. I think I'm going to look at other conventional solutions right now, lol.

https://www.google.com/search?q=roof+access&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjS8d3wwsTUAhVLxoMKHbE2DVsQsAQIRw&biw=1067&bih=739

Seeing a lot of wooden plank floors. I'm not sure if that helps with waterproofing or if it just "looks good"(Which indeed it does, lol). I'm more concerned about waterproofing, so rain doesn't leak into the house. It seems that boats have figured out this out, so it must be possible on a house.

Anyway, from the back, I'm starting to see the sky. Kind of nice, in the thick of trees, having a "Window to the sky". On the more nepho-dramatic days, it makes for some spectacular displays. It's easier to appreciate this 'sky window' when you've been denied such a window being surrounded by trees nearly all day, lol.

Anyway, on the days I use the axe and then I'm really dreaming, I did notice something. The veins in my forearms are ginormous, lol. I'm getting the sense the arm impacts are instrumental in expanding the arteries and probably traces back upto the heart. I don't really know how that would affect the LAD or circumflex arteries, but I could see it expanding the aorta. Regardless of the underlying mechanics, I think that leads to better systemic bloodflow and subsequent dreaming.

Update at 7:54 a.m.: On the flip side, getting to sleep early means I wake up early. Woke at 6:45 today. This is good.

Gives more time in the morning to work outside before it becomes too hot to work.
Allows me to get the business started earlier.

I think I'll try for that 9 o' clock bedtime more often.

1-4 p.m. is when the sun is really beating down on the RV and in these warmer months, it's becoming a bit unbearable. This RV could really benefit from being in the shade; that'd be easier if it was on my driveway. Thinking maybe I should setup a 'temporary operations tent' in the shade, lol.

[I'm not making nonessential large purchases now because I need to focus moneys on construction. That is really the most important thing because I don't have room for business expansion in my RV, and I need to expand to have a realistic shot of building this courtyard within my lifetime, lol.]

Update @ 9:11 a.m.: Figured out the rooftop option.

https://www.handydeck.com/resources/where-to-use/waterproof-decks/

Firstly you need to purchase a continuous sheet of EPDM which you then lay on top of your existing deck surface to provide a durable, long-lasting waterproof membrane. EPDM is available in widths up to about 50′ so you can lay down a continuous sheet without any seams over most decks. At the wall side, you need to make sure water cannot run down the wall to the area below. The best way to do this is to run the EPDM sheet a short distance up the side of the wall as flashing and to use a special EPDM adhesive to provide a good seal between the wall and the EPDM sheet.

After you have laid down the EPDM sheet, you simply lay our interlocking deck tiles over the top. And you don’t need to restrict yourself to just wood tiles. If for example you don’t want the regular maintenance of a traditional wood deck, then you could use slate, granite, sandstone, porcelain or wood composite, all of which can be laid over an existing wood deck.

It appears I'm looking for an EPDM sheet which to lay upon the top support beams. And then the wood planks being placed over that.

What does this EPDM look like?

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Grace-Ice-Water-Shield-36-in-x-75-ft-225-sq-ft-Roll-Roofing-Underlayment-in-Black-5003002/202088840

36"x75Ft.

There appears to be a need for imbrication.

Is it still waterproof after overlapping the sheeting?

The picture shows it being applied ontop of plywood sheathing/panels. Doesn't like it could be "put ontop of the ceiling beams", lol.

So the roof cost went from the cost of the plywood to..

the cost of the plywood + cost of the EDMF sheeting + cost of wooden planks.

I don't know how much the wooden planks cost, but I'd estimate that to be an additional $250 for the roof pretax. Then the hatch itself, likely another (After quicky looking through product listings...) another $300-$400?

Jeez, I'm thinking I'd apply some foam stripping around the edge of the opening, and outline the perimeter of the opening with some wood bordering, and then put a flat piece of wood over it. Should be less than $100, I'd think?

Then there's the ladder; another $80.

I'm guessing an additional $450 for rooftop access.

So how much do I want this rooftop access... lol...

I guess it could always be implemented later.

During the next step in expansion, I'd need to knock down the tree to my right, add a 4'x12' platform to the existing 12'x12', then add a 16'x16' platform and build the 10' high ceiling 16' width hall from there. The cost for that seems like it'd be appreciable. I'm guessing somewhere around $1500 based on the 12x12 cost estimate.

Knocking down the tree after the current structure is built looks like an iffy proposition. Not sure if I want to knock it down now since it provides sun protection from roughly 10-1 p.m to the existing structure.

Anyway, after eating the banana peels, it doesn't seem like I need as many bananas to satisfy my hunger. I'm aiming for 1 banana peel for every 2 bananas. So, yes, this technique might prove cost effective.

I'm thinking I'd rather boil the peal for bacterial reasons. Making me think I should just get some plantains. Boiling is not a ready capability I have; my batteries don't provide that much power. I'd have to figure out how to use my lithium batteries.

Looks like they have 24V 1000w inverters on ebay for $100. Would be cheaper than buying $300 more in lead acid batteries.
 
Okay, went to walmart... they reviewed the tapes and determined I did pick up both bags.

So, now the evidence is strong, but not conclusive, there was a theft. The other possibility is that I misplaced it and my myopic search tendencies have so far overlooked it. And if that's the case, oh well, maybe I'll find it in time. It can't hurt to have another backup, especially with not how much I'm predicting I'll be using this thing.

And with that in mind, security levels are increasing. The vehicle is the safest place for my belongings, and all relatively valuable things should be going in there. The especially high value things are already in there, now it's a matter of figuring out what other items of interest I have that should be going back into the van. Or I can just cover my stash up with trees. I don't think people want to be dealing with removing trees and branches with their barehands, lol.

Tools and whatnot need to go in for all departure times longer than 10-15 minutes; All hours between 3 p.m.- 9 p.m.; At the end of the workday.

Anyway, I'm powering through the chainsawing today because it needs to get done. I don't care if it's blistering hot, I will work through it (Taking rest breaks so I don't heatstroke, lol.).

Now where the hell did my work gloves go?

Okay, I looked through the RV pretty extrensively and didn't find my work gloves. That's strange. I guess the next place to look is the van, I think I kind of remember them being there? But "kind of" is not very convincing, lol.

Not at the worksite. I was starting to get into the habit of putting them at the work site, but not on the ground. Usually on a particular fallen tree. So possibility is that they were stolen, but the search hasn't ended yet. I do know there was a GREAT UPHEAVEL with the search effort yesterday, so it's very possible they've become "lost" and now I need to find them.

Anyway, was going to go gungho, but it was a little hot inside the RV even with the fans running full blast, so I decided to turn on the AC and my 1000w generator wimped out. Could not run the 5000BTU AC, at least not when it was starting up. So I'm using my 2000W genny which is what I use for chainsawing. So I guess I'm going to be chilling until the fricking hot hours are over (Around 5:30-6), and then I'll switch back to fans. I wanted to get the AC running because merely searching for the gloves was producing tremendous sweat, and I want to do things in my RV without sweating too badly, lol.

The "Fricking hot hours" are now from 12:30 p.m. to around 5:30 p.m.

I can't run my AC while running my machines, so usually I run the fans. And, I get out of the RV more often during the hot hours, lol.

Anyway, I don't strictly need the gloves to use the chainsaw. Just a good safety item. They are more useful for man-handling trees/branches/vines and the like.

Once I get it sufficiently cooled in here, then I'll continue searching and I'll launch search raids into the van, lol. Those gloves are kind of important. If I didn't know any better, I'd think someone was sabotaging me, lol. But, why the hell would anyone be sabotaging me? I don't think it was right at all for my neighbors to be shooting their guns off for going to my van that is literally right next to my property on the side of the street, so I think me telling them off was perfectly righteous. I wouldn't think that'd inspire sabotaging?

Anyway, as to questions of "paranoia", I've read that is relatively inborn. Seems like a combination of particular memory deficits, working memory deficits or "theory of mind" impairments could be responsible. It is notable, for example, that dementia often involves paranoid elements. As to me being paranoid? Ha, I know people who are /way/ more paranoid than I am, lol. I don't believe, for example, the moon landing was a hoax. My understanding of the monetary system is not rooted in paranoia, but some deep research into its structuring and "who" the owners are.

Wow, air conditioning is awesome! Can do minor tasks and not sweat my balls off!

Update: Okay, gloves appear to be either lost or stolen. The one commonality between the gloves and bar&chain is that they were possibly both at the worksite. So, they either got misplaced together or they were stolen together. The idea of them getting misplaced together seems a little absurd, so the probability of a worksite theft seems fairly high at the moment. Now why these got stolen... I don't know... perhaps someone thought they looked nice and they could use them? The last time I used the gloves we're on the same day it appears I possibly put the bar&chain in the back, the same day I axed the remaining trees. So the worksite theft seems to have likely occurred the following day, since they were discovered gone the day following.

It's hard to believe they would've been stolen for their resale value. They had rips and holes in them, lol.

So, going to be chainsawing later today, and I won't be using leather gloves. I just don't like that idea, lol. Seems like hand injuries with chainsawing are fairly common.

And the closest place to get gloves... hmmm... dollar general has gardening gloves. I guess that'll work. Gonna implement the security requirements later when I go to get gardening gloves. Probably sometime after 5 when the sun starts to cast its shadows. That should give me time tonight to get at least a few trees down tonight. And hopefully all down by tomorrow morning. Assuming I fall asleep at 9. I'll try to prepare for that, I'm not usually prepared by 9.

Those gloves were nice. They were long leather welding gloves, typically $25 a pair. Could explain why they were stolen.
 
Well, I think I got it.

I'm going to deploy cameras, 2 of them, one for the front of the RV and the back of the RV. (The two primary entrances into the property)

They're going to be hooked into my laptop, taking images every so many seconds.

I'm going to deploy the software when I leave. Assuming they don't break into the RV and pilfer my laptop, I should have a pretty clear picture as to who the brigands are.

Right now, I'll be investigating software to see what can do it. Last time I looked, capable free software didn't seem to exist.

I should start a c# project to do it. Seemed like I had troubles the last time I tried that, though. Didn't seem to initialize the cameras correctly or some such.

https://stackoverflow.com/questions/14677880/c-sharp-capturing-image-from-webcam

Someone recommend emgu cv
4
down vote
I tried multiple approaches, and the easiest approach for me was Emgu.cv(nuget package).

Capture capture = new Capture(); //create a camera captue
Bitmap image = capture.QueryFrame().Bitmap; //take a picture
That's it


Getting a list of available webcams

http://www.emgu.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3095

//-> Create a List to store for ComboCameras
List<KeyValuePair<int, string>> ListCamerasData = new List<KeyValuePair<int, string>>();

//-> Find systems cameras with DirectShow.Net dll
DsDevice[] _SystemCamereas = DsDevice.GetDevicesOfCat(FilterCategory.VideoInputDevice);

int _DeviceIndex = 0;
foreach (DirectShowLib.DsDevice _Camera in _SystemCamereas)
{
ListCamerasData.Add(new KeyValuePair<int, string>(_DeviceIndex, _Camera.Name));
_DeviceIndex++;
}

Seems like it should be easy enough to work with making some assumptions. (like, it'll be easy getting a frame knowing the device index, lol.)
 
Got the oregon chain and bar on and, wow, what an improvement over the original! That cuts like butter. I downed one oak and now I'm onto a large pine, I'd guess 20-22" diameter. Anyway, getting a little carried away, I forgot to use the tree wedge (Didn't think I needed to since it seemed to be leaning in the other direction) and the tree is now pinching my chainsaw! It swallowed it up! So, I think I got a plan with the axe to complete the "other side", which I think should start the tree falling sequence and free my chainsaw.

As to you "You're paranoid" people, nope, at exactly 5 p.m., the neighbor emptied a clip about 150-200 yards away in the forest. Granted, /maybe/ he's hunting for food... but this guy isn't unknown to terrorize!

It was significant because it was exactly at the time I was about to leave, so it was a little annoying I had to pull out the gun and secure the perimeter before taking off. Just a bunch of extra steps I don't want, lol.

Update: Axed upto the chainsaw, removed the chainsaw and then the tree fell. Lol, the chainsaw was preventing the tree from falling.

Okay, one more large pine and then a few more minor oaks on the side and I'm DONE. I'm hoping to get the large pine tonight at 7:50, and then I'll proceed to clear out the side oaks tomorrow morning.
 
. . . .Or perhaps he no longer desired the contents of the clip, therefore choosing to empty it.

swbluto said:
Got the oregon chain and bar on . . .

You FOUND it. Were the gloves with it?

https://www.facebook.com/Break/videos/10155475752962792
 
Yeah, I found it! In the chainsaw section of walmart, and they wanted me to pay another $29 for it. I know, absurd, lol.

Maybe it's somewhere in the yard and a tree fell on it. It's always possible, I guess. (That doesn't make sense, the last trees to fall were the ones I axed, and I was wearing them while axing)

Update: Okay, got the last remaining large pine down one more oak. Now I just need to get a few minor oaks near the property line to get more of that evening sun on the garden.

I think I'm going to clear away the fallen trees as I need to. (As I create the garden plots)

I'm going to start creating garden plots sometime after construction gets done.

Anyway, I /am/ noticing I'm just about the only one in the neighborhood with my structure on the side of the street, lol. I really don't think it's an issue because there's enough for like a dump truck to go through; my RV is tilted at a 20 degree angle for that convenience, lol. I'm not actually on the original road, you can ride "the tracks" without hitting my RV now.

But, I guess some residents might think otherwise.

It's weird if they really take issue with it. Because, seeing RVs on the side of the street was like a fact of life in my old neighborhood. I don't really see why it would be so different here assuming, like there, I'm not blocking the main road?

I guess maybe they don't like "the presence" I convey. My every 20 minute walks with machete on hand might have that effect.

And, I drove around. Seemed like there was a LOT of people redoing their sheathing. What did they do wrong the first time, I wonder? DId they cheap out and use $18 particle board? I think $25 "smart siding" should be the best option. I don't focus only on price, if it means being penny wise pound foolish. (That is, I think of "lifetime costs" more than anything.)

There's actually a lot of nice houses in the area. Doesn't really seem to be that uncommon.

I'm guessing there's a bit of DIY contractors here.
 
swbluto said:
I guess maybe they don't like "the presence" I convey. My every 20 minute walks with machete on hand might have that effect.

Got a GoPro? That would make a great video if you put the camera out there and we could see the whole thing. Maybe wear one so we can see some closer footage of them reacting.

[youtube]mOO5qRjVFLw[/youtube]

[youtube]rOr38bGCZto[/youtube]
 
Lol, there's a forest between me and them, whether at their property or somewhere nearby in "The woods", so I can't really see them. However, they seem to know when I'm out at least sometimes. I don't know if they're just listening really carefully for the door opening or other noises (Footsteps on the road) or if they have a camera or such going on.

Anyway, thinking about that paper talking about starch and oleic fatty acid consumption associated with fatty liver disease (Read: arthersclerosis, with the fatty liver just being one part of it.). I thought about that, and I soon realized that the starch consuming "Healthier cultures" have a secret weapon: Acetic acid.

(I'm pretty sure when the researchers were talking about starch, they were likely talking about wheat... or rice... or some such.)

Acetic acid inhibits starch absorption, so you might expect it to minimize the affects of it on the body.

The french and greek frequently consumed wine, which has acetic acid as a major component.
The japanese frequently applied vinegar, usually rice vinegar, to their rice.

So, these starch-consuming "healthy cultures" appear to have been consuming acetic acid with their bread and rice starches. So, anyway... I guess if you're going to consume refined starches for carbs, it's best to pare it with acetic acid.

I don't know if unrefined starches are associated with liver disease. For example, boiled sweet potatos and plantains. I wouldn't immediately assume so, but I don't know what is normally pared with sweet potatos and/or plantains in those particular cultures.

Another glorious view of the passing clouds through the sky window in the back today. They seem so close. It's too bad I didn't take care of the hypoglycemia before I was in the back instead of after, lol. (I try to not eat anything with I first get up, doesn't seem to normally work out, but I guess I should of today.) [It would've been better viewing the clouds "feeling ok", lol. The symptoms were fatigue and some slight nausea.]

When I say "hypoglyemia", I don't necessarily mean the technical definition, lol, just that I could've used some carbs to feel better. :mrgreen:

Anyway, I told myself "I hate living here", gosh, I was laughing up a storm. Who am I kidding? I guess I LOVE IT! lol.

I was reading some person's comment of LA yesterday (After 4 hours of sleep), and I can tell I was getting stressed, because my breathing was getting faster and somewhat 'short of breath'. I exited out of that real quickly, and the calmness returned and those symptoms disappeared. It is interesting when a movie wants to emphasize "The stressed out american lifestyle"(I.e., vs rural India), they cut to people driving in LA traffic, lol.

I can tell that LA isn't the place I'd want to be. I guess it wouldn't be so bad if I retired there, assuming I had the means to do so comfortably.

I knew someone from Long Beach, CA. She later developed some kind of auditory schizophrenia. Not sure if the two are connected somehow... It seems like a lot of psychotic people I've met are from a big stressed out city somewhere. Despite Houston's size, I don't get the impression it's "stressed out", especially not with its pretty much standard 8-5 family-friendly business hours across the board. I think the abundance of land has much to do with this.

I think once I get the structure built, I'll be looking at getting a dog and another vehicle sometime after (As "The next major purchase".). I really should take care of that driveway to get it ready for another vehicle. I'm getting a little iffy with this van pushing 130,000 miles now.

I started thinking about a dog, might not be a bad idea to get one. A little more cost-effective and dependable than some of the other 'companions'. I think it's good to have a companion; the research is telling me it's good and I already know why: The oxytocin generated from bonding nullifies cortisol, and the research paper listed above directly implicates cortisol in the genesis of arthersclerosis.

7aac199c79ababba2e3d1962b8751ab5eb948d78444a20217881d03172e48c03.jpg
 
Here I am comparing that person's mannerisms and smile to RL stein's "Slappy the dummy", and then explaining how I'm likely living among at least some other forest lovers so it's not unlikely I'd meet "similar people" more often, and I just cannot commit to a post, lol.

Anyway, ran out of cocoa yesterday, no cocoa this morning. That's some bad juju, lol.

The last time I didn't have my morning time cocoa, yeah... I don't want to repeat that, lol.

Was going to have a little wine, but I can't find it. The "reorganization" of the van in search for the bar has displaced me bottles.

Oh well, I had a little peanut butter. It's another nut/bean thingy with magnesium/iron/etc.

Getting bananas today and sturdy trash bags (And maybe a large sturdy container for all my larger equipment/tools to get it off the floor).

Sales have been abysmal this week. But, lucky me, my living expenses can go quite low, so it's not a problem as a short term phenomenon.

If there were a slowdown in sales for July and August, the summer months wouldn't be particularly ideal simply because I'm spending money on keeping the fans running throughout the day. I'd estimate at a consumption of 1gal/day and 20 nonproductive days per month (With the other 10 at full productivity), that's an extra 20 gallons being spent on nonproductive days. A good $40/month for cooling. (During the productive days, I'm just tapping a tiny bit more energy for cooling, and airflow is a requirement anyway, so it's not really "unnecessary money" being spent.)

It doesn't really matter much, however, I have significant savings to weather slowdowns and I should be revving up after I get the structure built and I have room to deploy expansion equipment. It's just that... it'd be so nice if working in the middle of the summer day didn't suck, lol. It's in the shade anyway, so if it's dry enough, it shouldn't be that bad. Should be able to apply the 15 minute work burst method.

I see when the cops were talking about "100% humidity and 96F", they didn't really mean 100% humidity technically. I see it's actually more often about 55-60% humidity during midday, and it /feels/ like 100% humidity, lol.
 
Anyway, I saw that the average 38 year old male in this area makes about $45,000/year. So I have about 8 years to double my income to match local stats; I think I can do it. (I think there's a reasonably good chance I can do it within 2 years)

With the Memorial area of Houston being "The nice part" of Houston, I surmised that it was older than average there.

http://www.areavibes.com/houston-tx/greater+memorial/demographics/

Looks like I was right: 46 years old, wow.

Anyway, was getting the cameras coded using emgu.cv 2.5. (Emgu 3.x got rid of the capture() function)

Was getting this error message:

System.TypeInitializationException: The type initializer for 'Emgu.CV.CvInvoke' threw an exception. ---> System.BadImageFormatException: An attempt was made to load a program with an incorrect format. (Exception from HRESULT: 0x8007000B)

Doesn't matter which camera I load, including the default, the same problem.

I downloaded a webcam viewer just to make sure my cameras worked... and they worked no problem.

So, it looks like there's an issue with the library.

I guess I'll fiddle around with it a little more, and then eventually I might just /give up/ and try something else, lol. Might be nice to see if emgu.cv can list the cameras instead of directshow; maybe there's a very particular camera ID number I need to use and for reason the "default function" can't find it.

Looked it up, possibly using wrong system architecture. Switching to x64.

Update: Okay, got it working.

But, Capture.QueryFrame() is supposed to give me an image from the camera, but it instead is giving me NULL(nothing). I tried QueryGrayFrame, same issue. So, it appears that it can access the camera as I see the camera light turning on, but for some reason, it can't get a picture. Hmm...

Well, then...

Can it get a stream?

Maybe I can sample the stream.

Oh, jeez, well... I'll continue experimenting with it.

Appears I need to start() after I grab(), and then use an eventhandler to capture the image and then queryFrames and... yeah... have no idea how that'd be implemented, lol.

Update: Cleared out a suitable path for accessing the side oaks, so I just need to use my genny and chainsaw to get the last two minor oaks down before I start construction. It looks like one particular tree will fall directly on the construction site, so it's good I'm getting it down first.

Anyway, found a suitable $7 plastic bin at walmart for storage of the large tools crowding up front floorspace. Hopefully this will help make it more generally accessible (I.e., I can find my wines, lol.)

Anyway, I thought about this location as a location for working in the local area. I don't think it's too bad; commute would be 25 miles to any of the large Houston suburbs, and 35 miles to The Woodlands. It seems that's a pretty typical commuting distance for Houston people. Assuming the workday is profitable enough, it could be easily justified. I knew there were people commuting 120 miles back in Spokane to get to the Tricities, where there were jobs (Job openings were practically non-existent, especially non-minimum wage job openings.) during the height of the recession.

One part of me is like... "This feels like it's so far away from everything"... but then the analytical side is like "Not really.". Granted, Egypt, TX is definitely a more central location.
 
Going to bed yesterday night was a little unusual. Getting a little lightheaded but after a couple hours of browsing my computer, it seemed like that calmed down a bit. This morning felt similarly unusual, but I could definitely tell it was "panicky" in origin.

As background, did my jumping exercises yesterday, was feeling pretty concupiscent, broke a catholic rule, and... wow... that burning chest sensation was prominent. It lasted for about 4-5 seconds. I figured "Probably just acid reflux", but yeah anyway, just took me a little by surprise.

I wonder where it's coming from... well, yeah, I guess the current subsistence income level might have something to do with that, lol. I mean, it's not really subsistence, I still have a savings rate of $50/week, lol, but it's still a bit uncomfortable compared to past income levels.

The analytical side feels like "Everything is fine, don't worry", but the emotional side is like "/F/ this shit!", lol.

I won't know of any longterm trends until next week, and if it's looking down, I'm going to definitely maximize my digital expansion and assuming that can't counter the trend (I feel that it should but I know I can't really ensure that.), I guess I'll be looking for local employment. Saw a paper mention a Houston unemployment rate of 5.5%, and I was like... "I thought it was 3%?"... o_O

So, I'm not really sure if the unemployment rate is ticking up. I do know historically that recessions tend to hit almost immediately after peak low levels in the unemployment rate, and even though the current unemployment rate seemed meaningless in the context of income levels of recent job openings, the longterm unemployment rate, and the marginally increasing employment-to-population ratio, if there's a recession happening now, it would fit that trend. It's just that, wow, that was a lackuster "recovery" if another recession is just starting. This is like a longterm death knell for the American economy of yesteryears.

Anyway, for mold making... I figured for a small run (for economical testing), plaster could be used, and then a solid mold could be milled for high performers. That's hypothetical, I really have no experience with that.

Anyway, it seems like it's gotten really quiet around here over the last 4-5 days or so. I'm not sure if that's my imagination, and I can't really explain how it seems that way, but it just seems like it's been really quiet around here.

-Maybe it's the fact I haven't heard gunfire.
-I haven't seen the neighbors firing their guns here lately.
-I saw the neighbors seem like they were loading a moving truck about a week ago.
-I haven't seen people driving by.
-The immediate new neighbor appears to have halted construction, stopped about 2 weeks ago, despite working at a furious pace initially. I don't know why they're taking a break... not enough time... not enough money... who knows. (If they've stopped, maybe I can borrow some of their housepad dirt? Lol, I'm kidding. I've seen them come by last week apparently just to check on their property. They didn't stick around.)

Anyway, I'm continuing construction. No real modifications to the current design. Don't know if I want to go with 10'x10' due to the easier construction and marginally lower cost. It'll also potentially give me a small deck of 1', lol. (I really should just add one on if I want one.)

I might slow down the pace of construction. I'd prefer to ramp up my savings rate to something appreciable before dropping large sums of money, especially if there's something I can do about it /now/. After I've exhausted those expansion efforts, I'll have to build to expand further.

Anyway, with webhosts, it seems like the biggest thing you got to watch for is database limits. They typically don't mention it in the sales brochure, and you usually find out after the fact.

Typical limits seem to be...

-Table limits (Limits the amount of, say, wordpress sites you can host.)
-Inode limits (Limits the amount of, say, pages and images, irregardless of disk space.)

Anyway, shopping for a webhost. My host jacked up the rate by 3x, and I'm like NO, lol. So, I'm back in the market.

I might go back with my original host. The iNode limit was really limiting my marketing plans.

Anyway, it seems that apple cider vinegar is strongly superior to coconut oil in stopping this ball itching. I thought coconut oil was a strong antibiotic/antifungal, but it appears that apple cider vinegar is likely stronger.

Okay, got 2 years of inmotion hosting for $100 (Originally $140). Wow, I just talked to sales chat and told them my card wasn't being added, so he created a custom link for me for $100, and I was able to pay for it. That's pretty nice, $4.16/month. Pretty awesome for no iNode limits.

Time to restore the old site, and get my software working and start expansion.

I'll probably do that tonight when the orders cool down. Have to get the main computer out to find my site backups.

Anyway, I'm starting to peel off the inner crust of the banana peels. I figure that's likely the "fiber/antibiotic part" of the banana, and eating the entire banana peel kind of grosses me out, lol. I find I'm able to get 100% compliance with that technique instead of 15% compliance with the "whole banana peel" technique, lol.

Okay, the orders seem to be coming in now but last week scared the hell out of me, so there's no stopping me now! lol

Anyway, for the camera software, I figure you can open two separate threads that read the video stream from each camera (Assuming you can do that), and then images are regularly sampled for storage. I suppose you could do some kind of "diff(image1,image2)" techinque to calculate the difference between subsequent images, and if there's a large enough difference from say a vehicle approaching, then start storing the images to memory.

I just don't really how to implement it in code. Focus is switching up a little bit.

There's was a black truck that passed by, once in the west direction, than about an 45 minutes later in the east direction. That's a little unusual.

I think the first step is theft, then if it gets desperate (And likely if the hood is african enough), then comes armed robbery. I've heard tales from North Florida during the recession about this; it probably is still like that.

It's somewhat surprising there doesn't seem to be a lot of africans here. Don't know why. I mean, I did check that out first, lol, but still somewhat surprising for a "southeast" neighborhood like this. I guess they all like the south side of Houston.

Update: seeing this truck going by (An ideal vehicle for theft purposes), makes me think I'm getting targeted (Among others in the area). Maybe these were the same guys who stole my chain bar and they brought the truck this time to pick up everything else they couldn't carry by hand?

So, yes, thinking I need to start hiding stuff. And, get basic construction started.

It seems the only "safe" time to leave is really night time, after 9. Nobody is traveling down these roads after dark.

That can be arranged for grocery shopping. And, if I'm booking it, home depot. 20 minutes at home depot right before 10, lol.

Update: Well, /F/ me. Got my SATA to USB harddrive enclosure, pins are broken. Fudge, need to get a replacement. Well, then let's do the backup plan: Turn on the main computer and transfer over using SD cards. Problem? Computer wouldn't turn on. o_O - Motherboard is getting power. Power switch looks like it's hooked in correctly (Wouldn't expect it to suddenly jump pins). Simply won't turn on. Looking around for obvious problems, none to be found. I'm wondering is the power switch still hooked up correctly?

Well, I think I got it. I'll just cut the power switch wires off and then splice them together. That way the computer will always be on the on position. I think that's the way it's supposed to work?

I'll experiment.

Anyway, found a baby scorpion living in my computer. Isn't that lovely? It was the size of an ant. :shock:

Okay, tried cut the switch wires and shorted them out(Switch on), motherboard did nothing. It's always on standby.

Oh, /f/, what the hell does this mean?

What could be stopping the motherboard from trying to bootup?

Anyway, I'm getting two SATA to USB devices for my SSDs and HDDs. So, about a week from now, I'll get the backup data from my computer and get my site up and running. I was /really/ hoping I could get that done today. I would have just driven to Fry's to get the equipment, but with the thieves on the prowl here and there being a good chance I'm on someone's radar, I figure online purchasing is my best method while the sunlight hours are this late.

And, I'm thinking once I get the fence running, it's definitely going to be electric. The fence energizer can energize my fence and the entryway bug coils simultaneously, lol.

In the meantime, I guess I'll be working on the other arms of immediate expansion.

And, yay, I found my sports underwear! I've been realizing my balls are feeling raw at two particular points from the sweating and walking, and not because of bacteria, so I figured I needed to find my sports underwear but I didn't know where it was or if I even had it. I do! Yay!

And, oh wow, today is summer solstice, so this is the longest day of the year for the sun. It looks like it gets unseeably dark around here right at 9, back in Spokane, that would've been around 10 p.m.

Cool.

And, in august, it looks like that'd be at 8:40 p.m.; Nice, I can get to home depot with 40 minutes to spare, lol.
 
Anyway, that small black truck was unusual because that particular approach has huge gaping holes in the road immediately at the beginning, so I'd say practically no one comes from that direction, they have always curled from the other direction. So, if I were to surmise anything, I'd suspect maybe my neighbor were taking a direct path to avoid arousing suspicion from my other neighbors in getting to my property. Because, I know even my neighbor will curl around (I"ve seen mutiple members coming around to the check out the newly developed property), so this particular direction was likely purposeful.

Of course, maybe not.

Getting brushed twice is out of the norm, though. I'd say that's happened pretty much never, just like them coming from that direction has never happened.

So, I was going to drive by and catalog their vehicles later. It's apparent they aren't using this particular vehicle to go to work in the morning, so it's likely still in the drive in the morning.

Anyway, it's clear I should get my property protection going before regularly leaving the property (Say, if I had a local employment).

I got the source code of a working webcam viewer that uses directShow, so I'm going to try to figure out how to implement two different webcams with it. It seems if I assign the capture() to a picturebox or some such, I can regularly sample the picturebox to get frame data. Many times it's easier said than done, lol.

Anyway, will get the workday done today, and then use the remaining time to chop down the remaining trees. And I need to setup the IBC tank for the storm tomorrow.
Then comes the storm, and hopefully the soil will be moist enough to easily rip the saplings from the soil on the work site.
After the storm passes, I'll start digging holes on the construction site where the blocks will rest. The holes will be filled with the original sandy loam they had (So just removing the top layer), then filled with a layer of gravel. The blocks will be placed ontop, then the perimeter will be prepared for termicide treatment. Dig a trench around all the blocks and apply water and solution to the trench. The outer frame will be assembled and put into place and the rest of boards will be attached. And, I need to get two anchors from homedepot to fix the position of the frame so it doesn't move. Four would be ideal for strength, but I'm thinking 14x cinder blocks should be strong enough for a 12x12. If I need to in the future (Say a corner cinder block fails), I could use a jack to lift one corner of the house and then replace it with a proper deck anchor. And, I believe my carjack should be able to do it (Might have to empty the house, lol. Or put the contents on the other side.).

Anyway, I wonder why this coconut oil isn't effective at killing the bacteria like the apple cider vinegar is (Doesn't stop the itching). Says, "Organic Refined Coconut Oil", no mentions of virginity. So, it's likely been heated to a high degree. I don't know if that would've disabled the antibiotic properties of the coconut oil, but I have suspicion. I didn't see virgin coconut oil at the store, everything was 'refined'.

And, coconut oil doesn't mix in well with the water and cocoa; it floats ontop, lol. So, it looks like the best form of fat for cocoa is likely cocoa that still has the cocoa butter in it and it's not been pressed out (Like the vast majority of commercial cocoa powders). That fat doesn't float ontop. To get the oil distributed through the water, I'd likely have to use an emulsifier (Soy Lechithin), and I think I'd rather just use proper cocoa.
 
Well, I think I got it. I'll just cut the power switch wires off and then splice them together. That way the computer will always be on the on position. I think that's the way it's supposed to work?
...
Okay, tried cut the switch wires and shorted them out(Switch on), motherboard did nothing. It's always on standby.
The two jumper pins on an atx mb that connect by wires to the power button on the PC case front panel?

The power button when pressed should only give a momentary connection to signal the mb to turn on. That's why you see people, when they bench test only the essentials assembling a new PC, momentarily short those two pins together with a screwdriver to turn it on.
 
I tried that too, lol. It just won't do anything.

Okay, well... yep. I'm losing the energy/zest right now to do much, like posting, lol.

I looked at the stats, and it looks like there's been a downturn. It's fairly significant because the second half of the month is almost always the busiest, so if the downturn is starting at the beginning of the second half of the month, that's not really looking good.

I hadn't experienced this downturn last summer, so it's not a "seasonal thing". I don't really know what it represents.

It could be a short-term phenomenon, but it looks like it's lasting about 10 days now, I'd estimate after 2-3 weeks, I can say it's no longer "short term".

Anyway, I need to get the structure built for expansion. But, it feels so hard spending some $600 when income goes down to near subsistence levels, lol. But, I know I need to, so I just got to push through it.

The metric I needed to beat was part time minimum wage work, the kind prevalent on the west coast, and I felt like I was kicking a$$ in that department, lol.

I know in the face of these trends, having my immediate neighbors targeting me for stealing is not the best timing, lol.

Anyway, I figure for an 8x8, for 4x8 plywood count, it's roughly 2*5=10.

For 11x11, I figure it's roughly 4sides*3sheets+1side*4sheets = 16.

At $27 (Including tax) a pop, that's the difference between $270 and $432.

But, I can afford it right now. While the 8x8 is possible to work in, it's definitely not ideal to "live in". 11x11 definitely feels like a "comfortable room" whereas 8x8 doesn't, lol. And, I think it's important to have "good surroundings" to maximize efficacy, both in terms of productivity and relations.

Anyway, so I'm going for broke. I'm minimizing ongoing expenses and maximizing my time and monetary investments into income opportunities; I still want at least $500 in savings just in case I need my car towed or I need to get a HF generator (My tiny generator only really works for low level production.). My generator has been acting iffy, and it ran for about 70 hours before triggering "oil alert". The oil looked somewhat liquidy, so I don't know if there's gasoline mixing with the oil. That would be bad, I think, since that'd indicate gas getting past the piston rings? If so, an engine rebuild might be needed, and if it's bad enough, cylinder boring. However, changing the size of the pistons in a generator is not a sizable market, lol, so likely a new generator would need to be purchased. And a quick perusal of this issue makes it look like it's not necessarily a piston ring and it's not a "simple thing" to diagnose/fix.

As far as groceries.

I could trim back on the fat. This would be the coconut and peanut butter. This typically is a $22/week purchase in total.
Bananas would not be trimmed back.
Could skip the mushrooms, get vitamin D from fish oil and fish.
Don't want to skip the watermelon, lol.
Don't need to buy cheese. Getting animal protein from the fish and the chicken tacos. Other protein from peas.

I'd guess I could probably get the grocery visit down to $35/week without sacrificing carb intake and a $12 mid-week banana refill.
Car's gas bill is about as low as it will go ($20).

So looking at $70-80/week living expenses.

Anyway, yeah, those jumping exercises on the fallen trees had some ooomph to them this morning. Excited, I guess.

And, just saw a video of a "sophisticated home invasion" in West Houston (Memorial area?). [Looks like kirkwood?]

[youtube]s6Ce0NMrOFU[/youtube]

I guess it's home invasion season. Could explain the thieves here.

Anyhoo, I'm still thinking through the design. Maybe I'll go for 8'x12'. That's about as wide as a shipping container, and would require 4 less 4x8s as an 11'x11' design would (So about $100 cheaper). My RV is currently 7' 3" from wall-to-wall; with this design, it should be 8' 6" from wall to wall. The 10 ft kayak could be propped up at an angle at the end, and it looks like the maximum diagonal length available would be 11.3 feet, so it looks like it should fit. I've been thinking about creating a boarded up faux door and using a ladder to access the house through the roof, lol. I figure it'd be slightly higher security than a front door, since the thieves would have to 1) Figure out the entrance was through the top 2) Bring a ladder, lol.

I'd have highly secure locks through the roof entrance, just in case.

Anyway, it's just one security design element, lol. Requiring roof access obviously creates injury risk problems.

Update: Thinking about the structure again. I just don't want to make any large expenses until I reestablish comfortable income levels. But, I know I need somewhere to deploy my equipment to expand much further.

So thinking about picking up a metal shed from lowes.

I really doubt its capability keep out bugs, so I wouldn't think it'd be ideal for sleeping. But, it'd be functional for deploying equipment and securely storing my goods.

I applied silicone sealant to all joints and at the base and for about 10 bucks it has held off a strong rain storm.

Sounds like it might have bug proofing potential.

If it can be bug proofed, it'd be possible to sleep in it. Not that I would sleep in it, but if the RV went into the ditch or otherwise made uncomfortable to sleep in, I wouldn't hesitate to use it lacking good alternatives.

Seems I'd have to make holes in the shed for vents to make it comfortable to operate in.

I don't think I'd put it in the same position as the originally intended house, but I think I would use the base as I have already purchased the materials for it. For a metal shed, I don't think I'd bother with termite-proofing it.

I wonder if I could reuse the base if I get the house construction going. Just pop the metal shed off, move it and plop it on the supports, lol. (I don't know if I would need a tractor, lol.)

Anyway, need to designate the shed location. And.... /right/ there in the middle.

Then I can fence it in. (Really need to think about this, lol.)

Looks like the shed has wind vulnerability and hole alignment issues. Someone mentions just needing a screwdriver to align the holes.

Anyway, no need to buy the shed right away. Will definitely give proper forethought first, lol.
 
A little boy said a masked man came out with a machete and started chasing him. According to the scraggly man and his cohort of 3 other guys, whom were apparently looking for the perp to mess him up good.

What the hell?

I don't own a mask.
I never got out of my RV with a machete to chase some boys, lol. Bringing out weapons with people out there is not something I do; it invites conflict, something I try to avoid [and, see, this is why...]. The only time I bring out anything is if I need to exit the RV and some guy starts shooting his gun immediately nearby with obvious intimidating intent. And then, it's not a machete, lol. Don't bring swords to a gunfight.

The boy might've seen me with a machete when he was driving by once, I'm pretty sure I was on my property. I would've definitely remembered if I had a machete and someone was going by on the road (That never happened.).

Anyway, I'm wondering what's going on? Do these people have nothing better to do than terrorize the neighborhood whenever they're feeling like it? (i.e., when it's hot and it's kind of hot today.)

And, obviously this kid is making up stories to manipulate his elders to go beat someone up.

Okay, I thought about it... and the kid must have seen me once driving by when I was going to the backyard with my machete (And likely my loppers) for underbrush clearing and I had my beekeeping suit for mosquito, bee and branch protection. He thought "Masked person with machete" and came up with a wild story to go with it. That must explain it.

See, I'm not walking around in my beesuit to make a public statement, lol... It's unfortunate he was driving by when I was going to the backyard if he gets so easily scared by beekeeping suits like that. (And, I don't wear my beekeeping suit to walk up and down the road with it.... it's waaay too warm, lol. I sweat within 10 minutes of wearing it.)

These guys probably hear mask and are thinking "Hockey mask".

friday3.jpg


And, with this...

The shed is getting moved up the priority list fast.

But still very ambivalent as to what I'll build now. Bad timing.

I'm just unsure if the metal shed will withstand the winds here. I guess I'll pile on the branches on one particular side to shield the wind coming from that direction; that is the only likely direction wind would be coming in from.

Okay, I'm officially approving it. Get it tonight if possible. And the 10 p.m. Lowe's is in Tomball,

After the rainstorm, site preparation and construction.

Once the shed is in place, I can attempt getting the RV on my driveway, which is a very iffy proposition. Not enough "forward space" to maneuver the van effectively for alignment. (it's important once getting the RV at the correct angle on the driveway, to get the van at a correct angle to push it all the way in.)

Once that's on the driveway, start fence construction.

This shed will not be my home, but rather an operations, storage and possibly sleeping building if necessary.

It will not be my home because it's ... obviously it has no "home qualities", lol, and it cannot be extended. It'll be what it is, a shed in the shade.

Will not use cinder blocks and will not treat the soil. Pretty straight forward -> After clearing the underbrush, put the wooden base on the ground.

Sometime in the future, the shed may be disassembled for transport to a more appropriate location.

And,I just changed my address to get lowe's 10% off coupon. Here's hoping I can get that shed for $275 /after tax/, lol.

And, I think I'll start prepping for pea and tomato production. Peas makes for an abundant carb source that can be stored in cans (I think? It seems like it, I buy them, lol.). They're suitable for subsistence if necessary. Tomatos are easy to grow and prolific; also possible to can.
 
I think tonight, I'm going to move my van out and into the T-section at 8. This way, when i start my vehicle to leave for the night, my neighbor won't be able to see me leave.

If they're using the forest for making drugs, though, there's a good chance they might see me leave, lol. They seem to have sight of that corner.
 
Got the shed for $271. It weighs 214 pounds and it's sitting ontop of the van (Was lifted up there by a forklift), so I need to figure out how to get it down, lol. I was thinking I'd take out the pieces one by one while ontop of the van, lol.

Seeing how compact this box is compared to the size of this shed, it looks like it's going to require /a lot/ of assembly, lol.

I.e., let's hope for several cool days in a row. It seems like it takes about 2 days on average to finish.

Anyway, implemented the new food shopping guidelines. Still got a fairly generous amount of coconut. The bill came to $25, and the midweek refill will likely be $12. I forgot to get peas, but that's OK as I've been growing my pea collection. So my actual weekly living expenses could go down to $60/week. $70/week if I were to have genny powered fan-cooling.

I guess for the average food-to-mouth person, a saving's rate of$500/month is fine. But, I'm really undercapacity. And, at the moment, I'm not surpassing my old peer group's averages. ("I'm not beating them")

Beating my old peer group is important. Really important. I need to justify my feeling better than them,lol.

Update: 10:24 a.m. - Getting the land cleared. Once the genny becomes available for use, I can power the air compressor to get my nail gun working and get the foundation assembled later today.

Then tomorrow I can start assembly, though it looks like it'll be storming the day after. It doesn't look like there's going to be 2 consecutive days of "no rain" for another 2 weeks or so. I know the weather report isn't always accurate for this area.

I guess I'll start assembly tomorrow, and then continue if need be after the main storms. I'm assuming this thing won't rust if it gets rained on?

Says galvanized steel, so I'm guessing not.

I should block that one direction before assembly, for wind gust protection.

Anyway, feel the need to emphasize it's a place to store and put my additional equipment in. And escape the summer heat, though I'll need vents to do that adequately. And centralize my business operations. "My office" if you will. The RV will be used for current business ops and sleeping. It stays reasonably bug proof with the moats and making sure nothing is touching it.

The home will be built 'in time'. I actually do have enough funds to complete the original design, but I don't like not having savings, lol.

I'm not worried about baby scorpions because they tend to like to hide underneath things. They aren't "wanderers" like ants and spiders are.

For the construction of the floor, I think I will create a 8x12 floor from the 12x12 frame. That would require 3x 4x8s I think?

That way I'll have some 4x8 pieces left over for the original 12x12 design. The sheathing/paneling is the most expensive cost, I'm finding, so it's good to minimize wasted use of that. I might eventually panel the rest of it. Might be a good place to put the mosquito net cube and use my shower.

Anyway, as to the thief, I have fairly good suspicion it's this desperate guy riding a bicycle. He notably only took things he could easily carry by hand on a bicycle, and he's riding up and down these streets for no obvious reason. (From the fact the dogs on the other side were barking about 15 seconds after he passed me, I could tell he didn't stop at the neighbors, so he was just "making his rounds".)

And, he just rode by again.

Yep, so I think this is the perp. The guy who warned me there were thieves here and subsequently lead me to suspect he was a thief.

The blacktruck was awfully suspicious, though. Not sure what it was doing.

And, boy, I'm scarfing down the bananas this morning. Not entirely sure why. Maybe it was the frenzy of jumping yesterday. Or maybe I'm underestimating the energy need to lift 4x8s and saw a tree stump.

I see that the plywood sheating is growing mold (Both sides), so it appears I'll need to wash it up and then paint it over, I think? Or maybe there's a certain stain that will inhibit mold. Anyway, yes, this place would be a great place to grow mold on bare wood, lol. So, I think I need to treat it somehow.

http://www.ehow.com/how_6541524_removing-mold-plywood.html

Summary:
Wipe down with bleach.
Let it dry a couple days.
Wipe a "water-repellent preservative" over all sides of the board.
Dry a couple of days.
Stain or paint over it.

http://www.homedepot.com/c/concrete_sealer_driveway_sealer_wood_sealer_deck_sealer_exterior_sealer_buying_guide_HT_BG_PA

And, while at lowe's yesterday, I noticed lowes had the deals on tall 2x4 fences. If only I had known, lol.

6 ft. tall 2x4 fence 100 ft - $60
At tractor supply, the 4ft 2x4fence 100ft was $47.

I planned on making the top of it electric or barbed. I think simple barbed wire is useless for motivated people. But electric can be snipped. I'm just assuming most thieves aren't trying to destroy fences, though I don't see what would stop the desperate.

Gosh, my legs just don't want to walk today, lol. I think my leg muscles are repairing themselves from all the jumping yesterday, they need all that glucose/potassium/iron/etc. for muscle repair. Of course, this morning was eventful. Felt like I was going to collapse when I initially stood up (Like consciousness escaped me for a second), and palpitations were happening pretty often. Who knows. Heart failure or tired legs? Who knows.

My legs didn't feel /this/ tired earlier this morning. Maybe I need sleep and it's just hitting.

Okay, just took a nap. And a black truck passing by woke me up. A larger black truck than last time.
 
Did it ever occur to you that maybe your face LOOKS like a mask? How many times have we seen movies were the self appointed creature hunters look like creatures from a horror movie themselves? If this is all really going on you could be catching it on camera and having a big hit reality show on A&E.

The fence at Lowe's is 8' sections, you'll need maybe 13 for a 100 feet. Don't know which you were looking at, the vinyl maybe, I don't see it as low as $60. I'd need to build my own gate, which would be a problem, didn't turn out well the one time I built my own.

So what is that $271 shed? I can't imagine. I'm needing one and they're a lot more than that. When I was in high school I had to build a shed to put my sisters stuff in as she once again moved in with us, he daughter is my age and more like a sister than all these much older sisters. So with 'Everyone' out there being jerks and having to act like they're in charge and interfering (As an adult one brother took to throwing wood in their direction, etc., to get rid of them) it took a chunk of the day, it went faster once they got tired of all their exertion and went in the house because I wasn't so mad after that) but mine was a 10 x 10 tin shed with, dang, was it 105 screws? If yours is just screw together it won't take long if you go ahead and work seriously. I see people move real slow doing things and of course they can't get it done.

Oh, on that black truck. Seen any black helicopters?
 
It's an 8'x10' arrow metal shed from lowes. Seems to have problems with alignment (Someone used a screwdriver to force alignment) and "can't take the wind". I used the 10% Lowes coupon that you can pickup from the post office as part of "The movers guide" that comes with the change of address form; I just changed my addy online and got it from the USPS website.

The fence is a welded wire metal fence, with a 2"x4" pattern, and it's 100 feet long, 6 feet high for $60. Way better deal for a "tall fence" than I've seen anywhere. Defintely not a solid vinyl/wood fence.

Cool on the news it shouldn't take long. I hope not. It'd be nice to get it done tomorrow. Looks like I might have to get the base assembled tomorrow.

There's been helicopters overhead, but I don't know if there's been any black ones. Can't normally see them through the thick tree canopy.
 
https://www.yahoo.com/news/m/53659573-a932-3a8e-a8b7-60c4ec97dddc/ss_study-shows-how%C2%A0high.html

I knew my taste preference for the high cocoa butter fat content in Ghiradelli's baking cocoa powder meant something.

Researchers at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine have shown a high fat diet may lead to specific changes in gut bacteria that could fight harmful inflammation--a major discovery for patients suffering from Crohn's disease. Crohn's disease, a type of inflammatory bowel syndrome, causes debilitating intestinal swelling, cramping, and diarrhea. In the new study, a diet of plant-derived "good" fats, including coconut oil or cocoa butter, drastically reduced bacterial diversity in mice with Crohn's-like disease. Mice fed beneficial fatty diets had up to thirty percent fewer kinds of gut bacteria as those fed a normal diet, collectively resulting in a very different gut microbial composition.

And...
The trick now is to really discover what makes a fat 'good' or 'bad' for Crohn's disease.

Wow, you'd think they'd surmise it from the reduction in bacterial populations. Okay, well, I'll harp on it here: It's because of the antiobiotic properties. Omega-3s are especially antibiotic.

It does appear that they do have specific potency against certain bacterial strains. It'd be curious if it had particularly high potency against the 'harmful strains'; it'd make me wonder why. Do these strains harm the tropical fruits as well, thus the particular potency developed against them?

Anyway, saw the neighborhood pond a few days ago. Someone was camping there on the water's edge. It looked like it was about 15 feet below street level, suggesting that's how far I'd have to dig to hit water right now. So, yes, if I just dig at least 15 feet below the ground, I could have my very own year round pond too.

Looks like a standard excavator with a 30 ft digging depth could do it. And, 137 gallon fuel tank. Wowza, I'm guessing these machines burn a lot of fuel digging? Only like $300 per fillup, lol.

And, man, it's funny seeing how this account of mine seems to be crashing and burning, lol. I check my positioning, though, and everything looks fine, so I don't know what's going on. I didn't think the school season was driving my account?

Anyway... I think I'm going to be aiming for...

Infants
Housing

Both of those markets, due to their very nature, tend to have money. People who have bought a house tend to have money. Mothers of the newly born tend to have a husband who makes money.

The markets I've been targeting, not that I was targeting a specific demographic originally, tended to be mothers of young kids.
 
Internet stopped working last night so I couldn't get online. I had to travel to mcD's 15 miles away to get my internet fix. Luckily, my vendor knew exactly what the problem and the solution was simple enough; it's really just a question of what exactly went wrong. (I'm guessing a software update screwed up the settings.)

Without internet, was I any more productive? Not really. Sweating bullets and mosquitos was the main limiting factor, lol. If I had just doused my upper body in DEET, I could have worked with my shirt off and powered through it... but, no. Well, that plus finding all the tools I needed was taking up a lot of good "cool morning" time, forcing me to work in the blazing hot & humid late morning / early afternoon. (It's funny, the later it is in the day, the less humid it is... so the shade becomes cooler in the evening than it is in the morning time. It does seem to odd to think that the morning time is warmer mainly because of humidity.)

So, yep, I essentially am getting the frame done today.

Hopefully I can get the shed assembled on a cooler day. Yesterday was surprisingly cool. Let's hope another cooler day soon resurfaces with the approaching storms and clouds.

Lacking internet had some interesting consequences. With no distractions, I found the only other thing I could do on my computer was watch some sinful entertainment. And, yeah, friction burns quickly limited that, lol.

Does make me wonder about the preinternet era. What is otherwsie boredom essentially drives repopulation efforts. MIght have to go before the TV era to get a true sense of that "nothing to do" boredom. But maybe not; scheduled programming often produces huge gaps of boredom between the interesting shows, at least in my experience. Maybe the historical line gets drawn with video games. Somewhere in time, life must've been real boring and bored guys chased more.

Anyway, I'm finding it pretty inconvenient finding an ideal set of trees to pull the tarp apart for the rain funnel into the IBC tank. So, I'm thinking I'll go get some T posts to establish the ends. Seems like it'd be far easier to get it setup where it should be going and get maximum coverage. Trees limit where it can go, and don't seem to maximize coverage.

Update: Okay, the floor is done. Next is assembling the shed.

If I were to have done it again. I would've have made doubly sure that the sheathing was aligned 100%. Apparently adjusting one end causes the other end to move a little, creating a gap. It's not a really bad issue to address, just a little more silicone I'll have to use to seal out the bugs. Anyway, the current design for the shed is not bad at all. Looks like there'll be room in the back behind it, somewhere where I could put, say, a hidden-from-public-view shower. Or a table.
 
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