Clear Visions and Realistic Appraisals:
Although I would love to have a truck that runs on alternative fuel with a portable compostable toilet attached on a trailer as I drive up to work for myself-owned permaculture consulting business, as well as land to experiment with my own food forest succession and to build my own permaculture machines, and the time, money and energy to be able to attend courses such as aquaponics training in New York City… and although I would love to have a warehouse filled with an organically certified solar powered aquaponics system; I am not yet realistically in the position to achieve many of these sometimes-seemingly-impossible-to-obtain dreams and goals. I feel as though many of the steps that I am taking now have integrity and direction towards these larger visions for my future. For example, I am currently learning in-depth about urban irrigation systems and landscape installation, as well as photovoltaic design and installation, which are both skills that will help me to actualize my bigger goals. I am also speaking Spanish everyday on the job site, as well as writing in Spanish for search engine optimization. I feel as though I am building the framework, or scaffolding, for future self that will be more fully able to manifest larger goals and dreams in light of their experiences and accomplishments.
The Critical Path refers to the steps that the astrophysicists had to design and implement in order to finally land on the moon. Being at the early stages of what I hope to be a life-long career does not upset me because I am excited to work on the projects that are currently possible and within my reach. Rather than design spaceships or geodesic domes, my personal critical pathway design is to create multiple net-zero business models as well as a self-written bilingual photographic book, and to continue pushing my edges and do my best to become the designer that I imagine myself to be. I pursue a daily practice to be open to the wonders of the world and to embrace opportunity as it is presented, therefore, I cannot clearly say which specific output packets will be turned in, nor when. However, I have a clear vision of the quality and depth of work that I intend to create, and I hope to impress myself by working hard to manifest beautiful works of art and creativity that express the regeneration of society and culture. I also have an internal schedule that I can set subconsciously, like when I wake up just moments before my alarm clock, that allows me to push myself to complete assignments within a set time-frame. I would like to set the intention to complete all of my Gaia University course work and to submit all of my required assignments by the end of 2013.
Buckminster Fuller writes in his book The Critical Path when he is relating the metaphysical versus the physical notions of how the term ‘scaffolding’ was used in ancient Egypt that, “The pharaoh’s creative architect may have been the first human in history to conceive of the principle of the lever and its ability to move great rocks. … the ‘scaffold’- phase tools such as the lever, were not forgotten amongst the as-yet-living people. … Use of these ‘scaffolding’ capabilities in the pre-Heaven world by the living society persisted and multiplied, pharaoh by pharaoh. The technological inventiveness of the pharaohs’ respective scientist-artist-architects became evolution’s comprehensive environment advancers. Finally, the inventory of technological ‘scaffolding equipment’ employed in this rearranged-environment world in the predeath days of the pharaoh altered the spontaneous thinking of the living.” In the context of ancient Egypt, physical scaffolding refers to structures erected in order to be able build tall buildings, and/or artifacts of ingenuity that remain on Earth beyond the life of their respective inventor; whereas metaphysical scaffolding represents preparedness for the after life. Isn’t it amazing that the implications of design science can spontaneously alter our thinking? R. B. Fuller also asks the following question in a separate yet related section of the book when he writes, “Are you spontaneously enthusiastic about everyone having everything you can have?” Yes! I am! I see videos online about living machines and greywater techniques and I think about the poverty that I’ve witnessed (both here in the U.S.A. and abroad) and I have spontaneous daydreams about working on projects for village electrification and urban aquaponics so that everyone may have fresh healthy food to eat.
I create a personal physical scaffolding out of a sincere desire to bring about positive and practical social change, so that we may collectively overcome environmental and cultural issues that we face, and so that I may have a right livelihood and find happiness in a sustainable vocation. I build a personal metaphysical scaffolding, not out of piety to the omniscient, but sourced from virtually the same reason as why I would build a physical one, so that I may find peace within my life’s work and myself. It is my hope that the explanation of my output packet projects, alongside my personal goals will serve to illustrate in what way I plan on creating both a metaphysical and physical scaffolding to realize my full potential.
I am fully aware that I can’t do everything that I propose. As you can see from the descriptions of the proposed output packets, I have many interests and I exert lots of energy to be fully engaged with my personal, professional and project based goals. I am aware that focus, and choosing what to exclude are edges of mine that I will struggle with in order to create succinct, clearly thought out and fully developed capstone project output packets. I still prefer to aim high, so that I push myself in a healthy way and so that I am proud of my achievements. I also find great pleasure in flexing my skills in imagination and visualization of projects that could be without necessarily having to dive into the actualization of each project. In fact, I am perfectly content to not implement a majority of the designs that I will conjure up throughout this capstone year, so long as I gain valuable experience in the design process and that I create insightful and creative works.
Methodology to Achieve Goals:
The methodology of achieving my personal goals is to source from the passion, direction and drive that I have internally. Of utmost importance in all of this is my personal integrity. As I go about the day-to-day activities, feeling the pulsation and interplay between myself, my projects, my education, my relationship and my career, I continually adjust my focus to be in integrity with my dreams. My dreams were created from a sincere desire to bring about a culture and society that are mutually beneficial with the planet. I propose to utilize my main advising hours with Elke Loepthien to stay accountable to my learning intentions and pathway design. Now that I am in a stable living situation, I am excited to have the opportunity to have routine check-ins, and to create a clear support structure for the capstone year.