Buddy Notes from conversation with Amelia Parisian

Patricks buddy notes: ( hope they are right, I scrawled them then struggled to read them:) xx

It is sometimes necessary to take the jar and shake it all up.

Things are different when you are alone. Things are different when you have a partner and child (Stephanie and Charlotte). We planned to get married in May but had to postpone. It was hard bringing our friends into the plans and then having to back pedal.

Things are changing but there is something to be said about staying in the family unit. Stephanie had been working in the community kitchen but her job ended. The relationships at the ranch were deteriorating. Stephanie wants to leave our home.

The benefits of being here are that life is comfortable and I can do what I love- gardening and coordinating programs. I have to let go of lots of good things. The alternative is to keep these things and let family go which is one of the scariest things.

Here things are easy- no bills, no mortgage- the outside world has more stresses and responsibilities.

I have never been in the real world with a family. This though is definitely one of the only doors to keeping my family.

Going to take a few months off in Hawaii and go to Japan and make money (is that right???)

Josias Dad lives in the community which limits where we can go.

My own aspirations are feeling challenged but I don’t want to blame my family.

I have been wanting to not take responsibility for the choice.

I want adventure, I have been doing permaculture for six years.

There is anxiety and intensity in relationship already which is scary.

There is a big me that can meet all of these things. Here the challenge has peaked and perhaps I am ready for a new challenge.