My path toward enlightenment: what I'm up to now.

Plans and Goals:

1) Make money
2) Finish tiny house
3) Travel
4) Enlightenment

Money:

I'm back to buying books again. I have a friend Lisa, who I met on the Appalachian Trail while hiking with Jonas two years ago. I have been in pretty much regular texting and phone contact with her, and I showed her how I make money selling books. I also helped her build out a travel van. We both drove to Key West at the same time, which ended up... uhh... great or whatever. That's a different story and you won't be hearing it here. That's my friend Lisa. Her roommate and friend Kyle also exists and is one of my favorite people. I was at his house for weeks last year, we all hung out together a lot, and it was a genuinely happy time for me. I had an easy happy time in Georgia.

I've been sick of selling books for the last two years. Changes in the rules and fees made me all but give up completely. A few thousand dollars went up in flame, and I became disillusioned.

Lisa has been doing well with books sporadically. I go out looking for books, and she wins auctions for lots of books. She doesn't make as much as I used to, but she never had half her inventory wiped out either. The point I'm not getting to is that she flew up to Philly for a visit and helped get me motivated to pull my account out of the toilet. I'm down to just over 100 books after a previous high of 10,000 inventory items. I'm rebuilding. It isn't hard work, but it can pay like it is. I'm good at it. I intend to make money so I can travel around without worrying about running out of money.

My parents gave me $25,000 in both 2016 and 2017, which has enabled my considerable appetite for loafing around. I am not proud of privilege and handouts, but I feel dishonest if I don't mention it while writing about me and money. I invested a lot of it. They gave my sister $50,000 as well and she used it as a down payment on a house. I invested in index funds, and also some Canadian marijuana stocks. I also used the money as a crutch. I tried to pursue sewing as a valid career switch. I wasn't successful - yet. I feel much more motivated when real shit is about to hit a real fan. In those times, I tend to do well.

Finish Tiny House:

I already started. The first floor is an empty rectangle now. I've patched sections of drywall. I have plenty more spackle and trim and painting ahead, but there isn't any rocket science involved. Once the space is cleaned up, I'm putting in something comfortable to sit on, and adding some sewing machines. I'm going to be sewing more bags. I'm going to get a whole lot better at sewing bags. Eventually, I might make money at that, but I've been trying to force myself, and it hasn't been working. I need to pace myself. That will work better.

The tiny house has great potential. Potential to entertain company, to work on projects at night, to drink wine and listen to loud music, and to be a space which is under my control. Tune back in to watch the progress. If you don't see progress soon, come to Pennsylvania and kick me in my head.

Travel:

2019 is the year for my second ride across the USA. I'm putting money aside. I'm taking the same route and leaving at the same time. May. I'm buying the maps this time. Some people like to travel to new places. I do that sometimes, but what really gets me going is traveling to the same places. Sure, we should check out new places - but I'm mostly always looking for a place to be comfortable and return to. That is how I operate, and I like it. I'll ride the same route across the USA a thousand times if I want, as long as it keeps being cool.

I also want to take some shorter bicycle trips. And if finances allow - whatsoever - I will be going back to Key West for approximately January and/or February. The more great places you return to, the more great places you feel at home.

I've been looking at bus tickets and Air Bnb places. You can get tickets for like $10, and stay somewhere for another $10-20. You can sorta just float to a new city every week for the same cost as dirt cheap rent. I don't think that will become a new strategy, but it's an idea I would like to explore.

Enlightenment:

I am the best version of myself I can be right now. This is the only place I can begin. Worry is not productive or logical. I doubt I will reach anything like an enlightened state. I'm off the hook for that one. Which is excellent news for somebody who wants to be off of as many hooks as possible.